Through Her Eyes
by The Shadeling
Summary: Maria is an oracle: she has the ability to see the future and past. However, this "gift" is erratic and hardly accurate. After all, the future is never set in stone. This doesn't keep people from wanting to use her abilities for their own agendas. People like S.H.I.E.L.D. and God of Mischief, Loki. Can Maria survive or will she be ripped apart? OC X Loki, Post-Avengers.
1. Prologue

**So, this is going to be my first Avengers fic and I'm pretty excited to get started. I had an Avengers marathon with a bunch of my drama friends over the weekend and have been dying to get started, but I had a hard time figuring out how to start it (which is kind of the way my mind works, starts in the middle then I have to backtrack). For those of you who also like Yu-Gi-Oh, I have a few of those up, so please, read and review. And without further ado, this is **_**Through Her Eyes.**_

I have a secret. And a problem.

Well, if you want to be technical about it, I have many problems and many, many secrets, which are all part of my problems and vice versa. However, there's one secret problem/ problematic secret that really out does the rest. This is the bubonic plague of secrets that potentially wipes out half of humanity. You laugh, but I'm not joking.

This is my secret: I can see the future. I also see the past but that's usually doesn't cause as many problems as the future does. Think about it: does anyone really care about what happened before? I mean, sure, there are all those historical anecdotes that the history teacher tells you over and over again to never, ever forget, lest we repeat our past mistakes. However, we're also taught to "keep moving forward" and "keep your eye on the prize" which is sort of counterintuitive if we're supposed to always keep in mind all the ways we've screwed up. So, we move forward. Let's be honest, it's a whole lot easier to be optimistic and think about what comes next then dwell on things we'd rather forget.

Now, I have never told _anyone_ about my "gift". Somehow, that doesn't stop people from figuring it out. This is where the problem comes in.

It starts out small. People casually stop you in the street and ask your opinion on something small and inconsequential, like the weather or the gender of a neighbor's unborn child. You know, little things, easy to brush off. Then the casual conversation turn into earnest pleads which in turn become persistent demands. People watch you out of the corner of their eye, wary yet eager for the smallest sliver of a hint, the tiniest bone. Hyenas looking for a carcass to scavenge. Greed takes over as they dream over all the ways they can change their lives if only they knew the road to take. Suddenly, all their problems are your fault. Uncle Tim got into a car wreck? Well, if you'd only mentioned that he shouldn't take that left on North Diamond Street, he wouldn't be in the hospital with a cracked skull and three broken ribs. A tsunami takes out a town in Japan; why didn't you call the National Guard or whoever and warn them of the impending disaster? It doesn't matter that if Uncle Tim had taken a right turn at the fifty miles an hour he'd taken that left one, he still would've wrapped himself around a pole. It doesn't matter that, even if the town had been warned and the people evacuated in time, that little Japanese town would be washed away just the same. You had the ability to see what would happen and you, wicked child that you are, didn't tell a soul.

And then there's the government types, who track you down and politely threaten you to "help protect your country" . Or those who simply threaten you.

My solution goes a little like this: I watch my back and keep to myself. When I run low on cash, I find an under-the-table job and work for a few weeks, maybe a month, just long enough to get me to the next town. I sleep in homeless shelters, when I can; cheap ass motels every once in a while. I don't make friends, I just move on.

This worked out great for a long time, but, of course, Fate, that obnoxious bitch, decided to sucker punch me in the eye. My name is Maria Argyris. I am an oracle. This is my story.


	2. Chapter One

_**Author's Note: Sorry about the wait, guys. Took me forever to figure out just where I wanted this story to go, then my computer broke. But, now, I'm back in business and Chapter 1 is ready and raring to go. Enjoy! And don't forget to review!**_

Chapter One

**Five months after the "Loki Incident"**

**30,000 miles above the Atlantic Ocean**

Nick Fury, Director of SHIELD, strode down the steel hallways, his heavy boots echoing across the floor. He walked purposefully, a man on a mission, always ready for the next assignment. Wearing black from the leather eye patch over his left eye down to his combat boots, the man was the epitome of badass.

Fury reached the end of the hall, long, leather jacket swaying behind him, and was stopped by a set of heavy double doors. He nonchalantly placed his right hand on a palm scanner beside the door and, opening his good eye wide, stared into a retinal scanner. The machines blinked to life and a blue light painted over his hand and eye. With a final beep, the palm scanner displayed the words, "Welcome, Director Fury," and the doors slid open. Fury stepped inside quickly; the doors swooshed shut behind him, leaving him in the center of a darkened room. He faced the four screens that stared down at him. Each screen revealed a shadowed figure, members of the Council. It was only possible to make a vague guess at each Council member's gender: all other features were hidden. __

"Council," Fury greeted them shortly.

"Director Fury," the only Council woman (perhaps) replied, her dark head nodding on the far left screen.

"Let's cut to the chase, here," the Council man beside her said impatiently. "We all know why we're here, so let's not waste time."

"Agreed," stated the second Council man, this one on the far right. "First, the matter of Loki."

"Thor has been kept me informed on the proceedings in Asgard," Fury began his report, standing idly at parade rest. "According to him, the Asgardians are….somewhat leery of punishing one of their princes. They do, of course, acknowledge the enormity of what was done, but, they don't seem to be as…concerned as we are. They've decided that, since none of Loki's crimes were against Asgard itself, his only punishment will be exile to Earth. Any further punishments are up to us."

"Are we certain this is wise," asked the final Council man, second to the right. "After all, last time we imprisoned Loki, he nearly destroyed us from the inside."

"After Loki was returned to Asgard, we immediately started rebuilding the emergency cell," Nick Fury explained. He pulled a small tablet out of his pocket and projected a small hologram of the Earth above it. "We've also built a small but secure prison, here," at this, he tapped a point on the floating globe, somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. There was a blur, then an island hovered in the room. It was a rather small and unimpressive island, just twenty miles wide by forty miles long, according to the scale. "This island," the Director continued, "was just recently discovered by Mr. Tony Stark on one of his 'flights' across the pond. It's not on any map and is completely isolated from any country. It is, in short, the perfect place to imprison a god. Thor will bring Loki aboard the helicarrier and we will transport him to his new home."

"What about his powers," demanded the woman. "How can we defend against _magic_," this word was laced in disgust and fear.

"Thor has assured me that, while it is impossible to neutralize every aspect of Loki's power, they can take away his strength and, at least, take the edge off his magic. Provided that he is kept under guard at all times, I think we will be able to handle him."

The Council was silent for a few moments, absorbing the information, before the right-most member declared, "Very well, it certainly sounds like you've thought of everything."

"I try," Fury replied dryly. It was, after all, his job to be prepared for everything.

"Now, let's move on to the _other_ issue," the left Council man said.

"Ah, yes…Maria," the woman said in an almost growl.

Fury stiffened. "I wasn't aware she had become an issue," he remarked carefully.

"She's been an issue since she showed up on our radar," the Council woman snapped. "If you had brought her into our custody from the beginning, she would not be an issue."

"Maria Argyris refuses to work for our agency," Fury ground out the words, frustration starting to boil within him. "It's only thanks to Agent Coulson's work that we've gained what trust we have with her."

"Oh, yes, the 'deal'," the right-most man sneered.

"Maria agreed to give us any useful information she 'found', only so long as SHEILD leaves her alone," the Director stated, grasping at his thinned patience: this was an issue that the Council refused to let go, like a never-ending tennis battle.

"We could make her another deal," proposed the woman. "Protection from other interested parties in exchange for her loyalty. Show her just how many terrorist cells are looking for people like her, she'll cave."

"Believe me, Council, Maria is very aware of how many 'interested parties' are after her. She doesn't want protection, she just wants to be left alone."

"Then, perhaps, now is the time to move past deals and negotiations. We need her on our side, Fury, and if you can't persuade her, then force her. For God's sake, she's barely old enough to drink, surely you can handle her."

Fury was silent for a few moments, then said in a quiet, seemingly calm voice, "Council, do you realize it took Agent Coulson - my best agent - nearly two years to strike this deal with Maria? Two years of tracking, dealing, and bribing whenever we got so much as a hint of that someone had maybe seen her. Two years of trying to convince the most jaded young woman in America that we weren't going to harm her. Two years to build the flimsiest bridge of trust. And you are asking me to destroy Coulson's work, one of his _last_ achievements. I will try to convince her to join SHIELD. But I will not destroy that bridge."

With that, Fury turned around and stormed out of the room, leaving a stewing Council behind him.


	3. Chapter Two

_**Author's Note: Hello! Hope everyone's life is doing fine. Sorry I haven't posted in a bit, my computer keeps breaking **____**. Enjoy this chapter and please, read and review. I love constructive criticism **____**. **_

Chapter Two__

**New York City, Roger's Apartment**

Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America, was fumbling with the DVR settings on his cable box when Nick Fury walked through the front door. He stood there and watched the WWII veteran struggle with the remote control before casually remarking, "You know, you should probably lock your door. Help keep the thieves away from your TV."

Steve snorted and said irritably, "They can _have_ the damn thing for all the good it's doing me." Disgustedly, he chucked the remote to the other side of the couch, where Fury promptly scooped it up and flicked the television set off. Rogers looked up at Fury, noticing the folder in the Director's hand. "Is that a mission, Director," the soldier asked, curiosity gleaming in his blue eyes.

"Of a sort," Fury said shortly. He handed over the folder, marked "CLASSIFIED" in block red letters. "We're having a meeting about it at Stark's place."

Steve wrinkled his nose at the mention of the egotistical billionaire. "When's the meeting," he asked cautiously, mentally trying to prepare himself for the encounter.

"When can you get there?"

**NYC, Stark Tower**

"Maria Argyris," Fury began the meeting, held in Tony Stark's massive home theatre, complete with flat screen that covered the entire wall and red velvet chairs. All of the Avengers were present, minus Thor, who was still across the galaxy. The flat screen was, at the moment, showing a picture of a scowling young woman. She had black hair that looked as if someone had hacked at it with a pair of garden shears, barely passing her ears at the longest. She was wearing a long, black jacket that practically screamed suspicious and tattered jeans. In this particular picture, Maria was looking down and away from the camera, and Steve could see that her narrowed eyes were bright silver-grey. "Twenty-one years old, she was born in a dinky little town in Virginia and almost immediately given up into state custody. She spent most of her life being passed between foster homes." Next slide, a much younger Maria shyly gazed into the camera. Her eyes had the bruised look of the sleepless. "When she was seven, her foster family at the time took her to a psychiatrist. Apparently, Maria was suffering from severe nightmares. The psych diagnosed her with night terrors and sent them on her way." Next slide, the circles were even darker under her eyes and Maria looked ten years older, exhaustion clear in her eyes. "Eight years old, diagnosed with insomnia, combined with the night terrors." Fury flicked through the slides rapidly, each slide showing an older, more exhausted looking Maria. He stopped on a picture of Maria glaring into the camera. Gone was the quiet, tired little girl; this was an angry, defiant young woman. "When she was eleven, Maria, according to the records, refused to see any more psychiatrists. A few years later, around the time she turned thirteen, Maria vanished." Fury paused for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts, and then, "S.H.I.E.L.D. located her records during a routine sweeping assignment. It was then we noticed-."

"Wait, a 'sweeping' assignment," Tony Stark, self-proclaimed genius, piped up suddenly. All of the other Avengers groaned internally. The man just couldn't resist himself. "I'm sorry, did I wander into a Janitors of America meeting? If so, I'm calling security."

Fury glared at the non-contrite billionaire before grinding out, "We regularly run checks over all medical and psychiatric records to keep our Threat List up to date, as well as find new recruits. Now, in this instance, we found small notes about the nature of Maria's dreams. Nothing substantial, just memos here and there. Apparently, the psychiatrists were convinced that her nightmares were a symptom, not a cause." The dark tone in Fury's voice nicely portrayed his opinion of psychiatrists in general. "In one note, Maria is quoted as saying, 'Bad things happen after I dream them.' The issue was deemed a priority and a team of researchers was organized to analyze her records. We thought that Maria might possess some new form of telekinesis. We were wrong." Now, Fury had everyone's attention. He waited a few more moments, meeting every Avenger's eyes before declaring, "Our researchers determined that Maria wasn't unconsciously causing accidents…she was predicting them."

"I can predict the stock market," Stark quipped. "Does that make me special too?"

Clint Barton, the master archer known as Hawkeye, leaned forward suddenly. "I agreed with you, once. I mean, psychics? That's just New Age nonsense with little crystals and lots of weed."

"What changed your mind," Steve asked.

Hawkeye glanced back at Fury, who silently clicked to the next slide. It was a similar picture to the first one, Maria with the dark jacket and chopped off hair, caught in profile this time. "Two years ago, an ATM in Kansas City spotted her. Originally, our plan was to track her down and bring her directly back to HQ."

"I don't suppose Maria was going to get a choice in the matter," Steve remarked frostily, blue eyes darkening with anger. Roger was a soldier, but that didn't mean he approved of everything S.H.I.E.L.D. did in the name of safety.

Stark made a _pshaw_ sound and sarcastically replied, "Please, Cap, it's an intelligence agency. That totally excuses kidnapping."

"Excuse me," Fury interrupted irritably, "can I finish or should I come back later?" When the two men quieted, he continued, "That was our first plan. It failed drastically. Barton?"

Hawkeye sighed and explained, "We set up a perimeter around Maria's known residence. The plan was to engage and- hopefully- convince Maria to come peacefully. We assumed that Maria had been taken by hostile forces and considered her a potential threat. The plan was foolproof. Except-." The archer gestured to Fury who pulled up a video clip and pressed play. The Avengers watched the scene unfold as two agents approached Maria. They saw Maria look up, see the agents, and immediately bolt. Hawkeye paused the video and pulled a laser pointer out of his pocket, "We set up ambush points here, here, and here," pointing to an alleyway, the corner of an office rooftop, and across the street from Maria. "Now, watch." He pressed play again. The video rolled and Maria ran down the street again. Disbelievingly, the Avengers watched as Maria dodged every single ambusher and disappear into a strip mall. "And that's where we lost her."

"Now, before someone asks," Fury stated, "yes, we have considered that Maria had an informant. In fact, it's highly likely that she did. She's very intelligent and very, very good at strategic maneuvers. However, what convinced that this wasn't a simple case of an excellent exit strategy and something _more_ was this scene, right here." Fury rewound the video to Maria running away. Snatching the pointer from Hawkeye, he pointed at a man leaning against a truck. "This man is an operative from a Russian terrorist organization known as Chernaya Luna, or Black Moon. He is one of their best undercover agents and probably the least well known. Members of his own team usually don't even know just who he is. We've found no record of him and have labeled him Specter. We assume that they found the same jumbled records that we did and were also interested." Fury restarted the film, in slow motion. Like moving through molasses, Maria staggered towards the Russian operative and suddenly strafed away from the man as if burned. Pause. "Here's the interesting bit," Fury stated. The laser pointed to the man. "Notice how his arm is pulled back here?"

"Specter is a master at hand-to-hand combat," Natasha Romanov supplied, rubbing her arm to soothe a phantom wound. "He knows at least six different styles of martial arts. His specialties are muay thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu. He punches faster than a snake strikes." Play again, slower still. The Specter's fist inched towards Maria's head as she was moving away. "Not even a trained operative would have seen that punch coming." Natasha spoke as if she'd had personal experience with it. "There's no way she could have. Not with her eyes, anyway."

There was silence in the room then, "I bet she's a killer poker player," Tony thought out loud. Fury chuckled before continuing. "After the mess in Kansas City, we tried a few different approaches, none of which worked, until Agent Coulson took over the mission." A somber aura dampened the atmosphere at the memory of the extraordinary agent that had brought the Avengers together before Loki stabbed him in the back. "Coulson- somehow- managed to find away to contact Maria over the Internet. It took two whole years, but Coulson finally managed to make a deal with Maria. She would give us a heads up if she 'saw' anything of use, and we stay out of her life. She made it abundantly clear that she has no interest in working for the government. However, the Council consider her a threat to security and want to coerce her into working for S.H.I.E.L.D. I agreed to talk to Maria, although I very much doubt that she'll change her mind. Captain, I'm sending you and Barton to pick her up and drop her off at the Helicarrier. I'll meet with her then. If she refuses, we'll drop her off after we dump Loki on the island."

"Oh, come on, Fury," Stark belted out suddenly, eyes glinting mischievously, "you can't just call it 'the island'. Come on, tell them its name."

There was a long pause as Fury internally counted to ten before he muttered, "Stark Island."

"Beautiful," Stark said dreamily. "I should discover a country next. It can be called Tonyland."

There was a collective shudder throughout the remaining Avengers and then Fury said, "Meeting adjourned. Captain, Barton, you have a plane to catch."

The team exited the room. Barton and Steve headed to the elevator. "So, where are we going," Steve asked.

**Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas**

My heart dropped to my stomach the second they walked through the door, freezing as I dealt a fresh hand to the chumps around me. Today, the game was Blackjack. One guy was ridiculously over-confident while the other two were reeking of desperate determination. Fools, the dealer always wins.

One of them was short and lanky with dusty brown hair, the other tall and straight as a meter stick with short blond hair. Of course, I knew who they were and why they were here. I'd just been really hoping that this would be one of those times I was wrong.

"Gentlemen," I greeted them coolly, making my displeasure obvious. "Care to join the game?" At least let me take all your money before you try to pull a fast one.

"Actually, ma'am," the blonde one, 'Captain America' as he was called, replied politely, "we were hoping to talk to you. Please." I gave him a narrow eyed look. Niceties will get you nowhere, pal.

"We just want to talk," the brunette said reassuringly. Who was he again? Oh, yeah, the pointless one with the bow.

"And if I don't want to talk," I demanded, crossing my arms while mentally preparing my escape route, "or, if I don't want to come with you after we talk? What happens then?" They passed each other uneasy looks, unsettled, I guess, by the fact that I knew they were supposed to take me somewhere. Where? Now, wouldn't that be nice to know.

"We won't force you to do anything you don't want to do," the soldier said carefully, "but-."

"Hey, guys," the overconfident chump interrupted, pulling himself up grandly. "If the lady doesn't want to go, get lost." He then shot me a noble smile that I didn't return. I gave him a withering look before returning my attention to the two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents, my mind quickly working through the options. Plan A: Run like hell. Sweet, simple, effective. Plan B: Hear S.H.I.E.L.D. out and determine course of action from there. Not appealing, but plausible.

So, cooperate or not. I debated back and forth for a bit. What finally decided me was the thought of leaving Vegas. Call me crazy, which people did a lot, but I loved this place. Probably the gambling.

"Fine," I sighed, before pulling a walkie-talkie out from under the table. "Hey, Irene, I'm taking a smoke break, cover for me, will you?"

"So, let me get this straight," I said slowly, making sure I had it right. "You want to put me on a floating boat and make another deal with the people who thought blowing up New York City was a great idea, which is stupid, because I already made a deal with them that works out fine, while the guy who thought taking over the planet was a great idea skulks around the ship before being dropped on a deserted island that's named after Iron Man. AND you want me to, maybe, if possible, snoop around the time stream for possible hints of future alien attacks."

"Yup, that's pretty much it," Hawkeye nodded.

I looked between the two and cursed Nick Fury to the bottom of the ocean.

"Fine, just let me grab my stuff."

**Prison Cell, Asgard**

Loki opened his eyes as the door to his cell clanged open. The sorcerer was gagged with a metal device, enchanted to keep him completely silent and his limbs were stretched out across the wall, manacled.

Thor stood before him, sympathy and grief plastered on his face.

"It's time, brother," he announced solemnly.

Loki's eyes narrowed. Of course, time for the Allfather to banish him back to pitiful, mewling Midgard. He couldn't be bothered to deal with the child he'd stolen directly. No, he wasn't good enough for that, never good enough.

Just you wait, he thought viciously as he was lead from his cell, through the city, and to the remains of the Bifrost, where Heimdall waited and watched. Just you wait and see. I will rule Midgard. The mortals will kneel at my feet and Asgard will tremble before me. After all, I have nothing but time.


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

**Off the coast of New York**

Five long, cramped hours later, I finally felt the Quinjet start to descend. Barton leaned over from the pilot seat and ordered, "Back in your seats, you lot." The soldiers around me all grumbled good-naturedly and handed me back their cards- Steve had kindly suggested a poker game about halfway through the flight, a good deed that was probably half-inspired by a desire to try and make me relax, half-inspired by acute boredom. The other guys had joined in after a few rounds of me teaching Steve how to play Texas Hold 'Em. He caught on pretty quickly; for a guy who was the personification of patriotic goodness, he was surprisingly good at poker. I decided it was the innocent, good ol' boy eyes that threw people off.

The Quinjet bounced gently along the runway and we were finally allowed off. I grabbed my backpack, which contained everything I owned, and stumbled off the plane, as my legs were a bit unsteady from five hours of sitting. Blinking into the light, I walked onto the steel surface of the Helicarrier. I couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer size of it. The knowledge that it could float into the sky at a moment's notice was equally impressive. Dreams can only prepare you for so much.

"Miss Argyris," I heard a gruff voice greet me. I stopped admiring the enormous boat/plane and turned a disinterested stare towards Director Fury. He was trailed closely by Agent Hill, who glared at me as if I were a cockroach in her kitchen. Pfff, like Ms. Hill would ever be caught dead in a kitchen.

We didn't get along. At all. I think it had something to do with the fact that I don't appreciate it when people try to control my life and Little Miss Military had that endearing "obey-your-superiors, follow the book" personality that rubs off on most soldiers. That and the stick she had shoved up her-.

"Glad you could make it," Fury interrupted my rude train of thought, gesturing me to follow him. I tilted my head thoughtfully and smirked lightly at Agent Hill, then fell into step beside them. "So, I hear there was quite the poker game on the flight over." Holy shit, word travels fast around here.

"Yeah," I replied edgily.

"Do I need to ask who won," he asked, sounding…vaguely amused, which is weird since I'd always assumed he didn't have a sense of humor.

I snorted and, touching the neat wad of cash in one of my many coat pockets and said, "First rule of poker, Director Fury: the dealer always wins."

"And I suppose you so kindly offered to be the dealer," Agent Hill added caustically.

I shrugged and replied, "Someone's got to do it." Then I smirked again, thinking more rude thoughts concerning who's got to _do_ Secret Agent Woman.

"So," I said abruptly, trying to keep myself on track, "when do the visitors get here?"

"Visitors," Fury raised an eyebrow at the term.

"It seemed politer than 'alien princes with dreams of total domination'."

"Thor is on _our_ side," Agent Hill retorted.

"He's also the ruler of an advanced alien race that people used to worship. Call me crazy but that fits the bill for 'total domination'."

Agent Hill opened her mouth to argue but Fury cut her off and said, "Thor and Loki will arrive here in a few hours; we'll be at the island around midnight."

"Did Stark really name the island after himself," I asked curiously. Not that I blame him. I'd be tempted to do the same thing if I ever discovered anything besides plots against my life.

Nick Fury rolled his eye in answer and we silently entered the control room. I whistled a long note, impressed despite myself. It looked like the entire NASA team was camped out and ready to roll. Various screens flashed through video clips, mug shots, and whatever else while the stoic tech agents typed and clicked in response. A few screens also displayed Solitaire, which I hadn't realized was pertinent to national security, but what do I know, I'm just a Blackjack dealer. Fury and Hill quickly led me away from the computers, probably worried that I might try to hack in and erase myself from the system. I was happy to let them believe that I could hack as well as Tony Stark; they didn't need to know any better. Fury pointed out the lab, which I noted as 'Interesting', and the infirmary, which I noted as 'Stay the Hell Away From'. Finally, swiping a card across a scanner, Fury stated, "This will be your room for the trip," and handed me the key. Then he and, reluctantly, Agent Hill walked away.

It was a nice enough room; small and plainer than Kansas, but there was a desk and plenty of space for little ol' me. Dropping my backpack on the mattress, I put my hands on my hips and said aloud, "Hope this goes better than the last time a god was up here."

Two hours later, I was lying on my bed, rereading _The Divine Comedy_, when the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and the air suddenly felt thick and heavy, like gravy. Just as my mind was thinking, _"What the fuck"_, a sudden blast of energy knocked me onto the steel floor with a yelp. _Flash! An image of a bright light burning a hole into an icy blue planet. Flash! Frozen wasteland, a woman encased in ice, her mouth open from fear. _I blinked away the visions, shaking my head fiercely, trying to recover from the sudden buckling of time. I stood and jogged shakily up to the deck. Stopping on a raised platform, I leaned over the rail and watched as the two gods walked into the remarkably silent room. Quite the impressive duo, they were. Thor was huge, like a polar bear with a blonde wig. Actually, I think the polar bear would be scared of this guy. His armor was silver chainmail, complimented by the crimson cape that draped across his shoulders. His hammer, Mjolnir, was the size of a small dog, and this guy was hefting it around like a T-Ball bat. However, the man, who could only be Loki, was the one I definitely wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Slight and pale where his brother was huge and golden, Loki reminded me of a jungle snake: quick, cunning, and absolutely dangerous. Not even the high-tech muzzle and chains diminished the proud, dark energy that surrounded him. I continued studying both of them, trying to see if I could get a feel for their auras, when the God of Mischief's eyes caught mine as he passed by. The bright emerald orbs defiantly stared and I could feel the antagonism coming off of him in waves. I narrowed my eyes back at him and matched him stare for stare. I would _not_ let him try to cow me. The staring match might have gotten out of hand if Loki hadn't been pulled down a corridor, presumably to the dunk tank, as I called it, and I slowly let out a breath of relief. Forget the dark alley; I could surround myself with every weapon known to man, while wearing indestructible armor and I _still_ wouldn't put any money on myself. Pursing my lips thoughtfully, I turned around and walked out of the now-buzzing room, brain churning over my new information. I slid into the lab and headed straight for the chalkboard. Time for a new equation.

**The Du- Drop Cage**

Loki heaved a sigh of disgust as he was shoved into the familiar glass cage. Honestly, did the humans never think of anything new? It was a wonder they hadn't died out eons ago.

"We will arrive at the prison in a few hours," Thor informed him anxiously. "You would do well to get some rest before-." He bit back the rest of his sentence, then hesitantly whispered, "I wish it hadn't come to this, brother." Loki gave him a baleful glare and turned away, pacing in the confines of his cell. He heard Thor retreat and a door slammed shut; he was finally alone.

How to proceed, the Trickster mused to himself as he paced, five steps across, five steps back. He had some small amount of magic left, but not enough for anything physical. No, the only things he could manage were illusions and perhaps one faded copy of himself at a time. Information, he decided, I need information. But how to get it? Hmmm. Loki looked up at the ceiling of his prison and, narrowing his eyes, with a mental toss, flung a ghostly Trickster up through the ceiling. It was infuriatingly taxing- four months ago, he could have done so while juggling flaming cannonballs while standing on his head- but he could now see the proceedings above him and look for weaknesses to exploit. Hearing the booming voice of his rival, the god, knowing how easily Thor talked when he thought no one was listening, expertly followed the sound and found himself in a sterile laboratory, where two of the Avengers, the soldier and that archer he'd enslaved, were introducing Thor to that impertinent scrap of a girl he'd challenged earlier. If- no, when he escaped, he'd make sure to teach her to respect her betters. Now, those bright silver eyes were on the man he'd once called brother and he listened in on the conversation.

"Lady Maria," Thor declared loudly, "it is an honor to meet you. I have heard many things about your talents from Fury."

The girl- Maria- had a slightly pained expression on her face and she mumbled, "Awesome. And, uh, please don't call me 'Lady'. Your lady friends back home would probably be insulted if they heard.

"Of course," Thor nodded with dignity, "although, none would be insulted to be associated with a renowned seeress…" His voice trailed off as Maria scowled suddenly at the door. Loki jumped a little when he saw that Nick Fury and his irritating shadow Hill had come in without him noticing. Damn, he was slipping.

"Thanks for spilling the beans to the aliens for me, Fury," the girl said with a surprising amount of venom, "now I'll have to watch my back for extraterrestrial threats too." So, the chit had some fire in her, how interesting. Maria turned to face a board covered in strange equations and she picked up a piece of chalk and scribbled more numbers across the board.

"We needed to know if Loki could affect your visions in a negative way," Fury said simply.

"Bullshit. You just wanted to see if Asgard had any info on psychics or not." Smart girl. "If you were really concerned about my well-being, you would have left me in Las Vegas." Loki didn't know the city the girl spoke of, but he was intrigued. Oracles were rare, even in Asgard, and he was curious as to the limits of this woman's powers. That is, if she really was what she said she was.

"Agent Hill," Thor said loudly, delight evident on his face, "Is it true that you share first names with an oracle?" The look on Agent Hill's face could have melted steel.

"Don't remind me," the girl remarked drily, not bothering to turn around, "I cry myself to sleep thinking about it."

"Have you found any information yet," the Hill woman demanded, dislike radiating off of her.

"Nothing coherent," came the non-answer.

"Funny, the last time you said that, a small town was destroyed," acid practically dripped from her mouth. Loki was surprised she wasn't foaming and rabid yet.

Maria turned and crossed her arms over her chest, and said cooly, "I'm sorry, next time I dream about rainbow tornadoes and a trio of cosplayers marching off to do battle with the roided-up version of the tin man, you will be the first to know. In fact, while I'm at it, I'll throw in every other useless fragment I see and let _you_ decipher into something tangible. God knows I could use the break. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to figure out how to recalibrate my brain so that I can- hopefully- find something useful in the time stream that _your_ problem in currently disrupting." With that, she turned around and, with great dignity, dragged the chalkboard away through a side door and was gone. There was a tense silence, before Thor stated, "She has spirit, that is certain."

Fury snorted and left without a word and Loki decided that now would be a prudent time to return to his body. Finding himself back in the hated cell, he resumed his pacing. Behind the muzzle, a grin was struggling to grow. Things were about to get interesting.


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

About an hour after the irritating scene with Fury and Agent Hill, I was back in my room with the chalkboard. Someone was probably wondering where their chalkboard had run off to, but they had those nifty hologram computers to work with, so no big deal. Perched on my desk, I scowled at the uncooperative numbers and squiggles. "Come on, Maria," I muttered to myself, "the solution is in here somewhere."

"Do you often talk to yourself? There are people you can talk to about that," a sarcastic, male voice suddenly spoke up; I yelped, first in surprise then in pain as my startled jump made me lose my balance and fall off the desk. I glared up at the intruder, a smirking Tony Stark, dressed smartly in a black suit that probably cost more than most cars.

I had met the famous superhero a few weeks ago, back in Vegas. The entire strip was practically shrieking with joy at the prospect of a billionaire who loved to spend money visiting for an undisclosed amount of time. Immediately, every casino started scheming ways to undercut each other and milk the most of Stark's metaphorical cash cow. So, all the big guns were pulled out; every show, fight, and musical performance were all hammered into glossy perfection, the bartenders stocked up on outrageously pricey, suitably snobbish alcohol, and every female employee was encouraged to be a little friskier than usual.

I'm pretty sure every heart in Las Vegas broke when Tony pulled up in his street-illegal Lamborghini…with his lovely and practical vice president Pepper Potts riding shotgun.

It was on day two of his five day stay; I was working the roulette table and giving a herculean effort to keep smiling at the douche bag that kept making obvious innuendos then smirking at me like he was oh-so-smooth. It was a little easier to smile at him when a few brief flickers of his future passed through my brain. Let's just put it this way: Douche Bag might think he's one hot S.O.B but his wife didn't agree. Neither did her new boyfriend. So, while I smiled and subtly encouraged him to blow all his money, suddenly a snarky voice came from behind me, "Get lost, Hot Shot, my turn to play."

The look on Douche Bag's face was priceless: an interesting cross between affronted disdain and star struck awe. Right away, I knew it had to be Iron Man himself. I swiveled my chair around and said with a flawlessly professional voice, "Good afternoon, Mr. Stark." I amped up my smile a little; if I had to man roulette, which is easily one of the most boring gambling games ever, second only to the slot-machines, I might as well be entertained by the infamous Tony Stark. I leaned over and added, "Good afternoon, Ms. Potts." The red-headed woman smiled at me warmly while Tony quirked an eyebrow at the Douche Bag.

"Did I or did I not tell you to get lost," he asked sharply, completely ignoring me. "Scram."

The guy jumped up like he'd been shocked by a cattle prod and practically bolted for the slot machines. Half of me was thrilled to see him leave while the other half was vaguely disappointed that he still had cash to lose. Oh, well.

"You know, there were other seats," Pepper chided Tony sternly, although her mouth twitched up slightly, betraying her humor.

Tony made a rude sound then snidely remarked, "Yeah, but then I'd have to breathe the same air as him. Not to mention he'd be ogling you the whole time, so I'd have to take him out back and beat him to death. Although that would solve the oxygen problem."

Pepper rolled her eyes at him fondly and gave him a soft pat on the cheek. "You're so romantic."

"It _is_ one of my finer qualities," Stark acknowledged.

So, they sat down and placed their bets, Pepper's conservative and strategic while Tony's were just thrown down randomly without care. I spun the wheel and dropped in the little white ball and watched it all go round and round.

Spin, drop, watch.

Pepper's betting strategy paid off for her as she continually raked in cash, little by little. Tony lost as much as he won, but he's a billionaire; it's not like he needs more money.

Spin, drop, watch .

I really, really hate roulette. There's no fun in it, no skill involved. And it gives me a headache from all the spinning.

Spin, drop, watch.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Tony suddenly announced after the little white ball claimed a sizable amount of his chips.

"Don't buy anything on the way," Pepper said idly, sipping a glass of champagne and calculating her chips and bets.

"Please," Tony scoffed, ruffling her hair as he walked away, ignoring the small swarm of waitresses who buzzed around him with dazzled eyes.

Pepper and I sat there in slightly awkward silence before I tentatively asked, "Another spin?"

She pursed her lips lightly before deciding, "Naw, better not. I need to be a good example for the kid."

I snorted softly, "Right," then idly twirled the ball in my fingers. Pepper pulled out a Fortune 500 magazine and flipped through it. I let my gaze wander across the casino floor. Images slipped across my eyes, sometimes too quickly for me to register, some a little more in depth. If I focused, I could probably see more; how a gambler's night would end, the children waiting up for their mother to get home. However, spacing out is highly discouraged on the job and it just draws attention to me.

Sometimes, though, visions hit me with no warning, no matter how hard I block them out.

My gaze crossed over a tall, white man in a jean jacket who was inconspicuously chatting on his cell phone. I tossed the roulette ball up, bored, then-

_Oh so casually, the man puts a hand in his jacket pocket. With the air of someone hailing a cab, he pulls out a pistol and shoots at the ceiling. _

"_Everybody down," he shouts over the immediate panic that spreads across the room. The gunshot has everyone instinctively under tables and slots, covering their ears and screaming. The man looks around, eager delight in his eyes, and then he spots us. With a smile, he points the pistol right at Pepper's chest and charmingly says, "Ms. Potts, pleased to meet you." _

_Then he pulls the trigger._

With a jolt, I landed back in the present, feeling my eyes go wide as I reoriented myself. The white ball fell to the floor. I barely heard Pepper's concerned question as I watched the man put his hand in his pocket. Instinctively, I reached into my own pocket and grabbed the first thing it touched.

Just as the man started to pull out his gun, my harmonica beaned him in the side of his head.

The gunner howled in pain and surprise, and he dropped the gun. Immediately, Security was on him like beans on rice.

After the excitement died down and the manager promptly started handing out free tickets to Celine Dion- nothing like free stuff to soothe an angry crowd- and when Security finally gave me back my harmonica, Tony Stark followed me as I was leaving for the motel I was slumming at.

"Wait," he ordered, grabbing my arm to stop me in my tracks. I yelped and tried to deck him instinctively. The genius billionaire dodged my punch easily and, serious for the first time all day, demanded, "You're Maria Argyris, aren't you?"

All the air in my lungs suddenly turned to sand and I felt the blood leave my face.

"Oh, shit, you work for S.H.I.E.L.D.," I whispered. Then, I jerked my arm free and gave him a killing look. "Look, we had a deal. I don't care if Coulson's dead, that does not give you free range to interfere with my life!"

"Hey! Relax, kid, it was just a question," the superhero insisted. "You are her, right?"

"What's it to you," I asked suspiciously, mentally calculating the probability of me getting away if I made a break for it. Answer: not good.

"Look who's testy today. Did you see it?"

My eyes went wide and I asked innocently, "See what? The news?"

He rolled his eyes at me and gave me a stern look- I was shocked, I was probably the first to ever receive such a look from Tony Stark. "I've read S.H.I.E.L.D.'s files on you. All of them. You know damn well what I meant and, frankly, you're not going anywhere until I receive an answer so you might as well make this easier on yourself and just tell me."

I tried to wait him out, but Anthony Stark must be the most stubborn jackass in the country. We literally stood there in the casino parking lot for four hours, glaring intensely at each other. Some deluded soul apparently was concerned for my safety and came over to give Iron Man a talking-to, but Stark just whipped out a crisp five-hundred dollar bill and the guy went merrily on his way. Thanks for the help, I thought snidely at him before resuming the stare-down. It finally ended when Pepper came rushing up, griping angrily about the incompetent security and sleazy police officers. She passed Tony, clearly expecting him to follow, stopping short when he stayed locked in place.

"Come on, let's go," she marched back over and tugged on his arm.

"Can't, Chickadee here hasn't answered my question yet," he objected, dragging his feet along the concrete.

Pepper looked vaguely confused for a moment then her eyes got real narrow and dark. "You mean to tell me that you've been holding up the woman who _saved my life _for hours just to ask her a question? That's so far beyond unreasonable, it's ridiculous!"

She turned to me, face suddenly a shining ray of gratitude. I took a step back at the shock of the total change in emotion. "I am so sorry about this, really. He hasn't figured out this whole 'maturity' thing yet."

"Umm, it's okay?"

"No, it's not." Pepper mused darkly for a few moments then a devious look sparkled in her brown eyes. She sauntered over to Tony, who eyed her like she was shark sniffing around for blood. "Tony," his vice-president crooned, "look how late it's getting."

He glanced around cautiously, taking in the darkening sky. "Yeah, it's getting pretty late," the billionaire reiterated slowly, unsure of where this was going. "So?"

"So," Pepper continued, "aren't you just a teensy bit concerned about this lovely young woman's safety?"

"No. Ouch," an elbow had connected sharply with his ribs, "I mean, sure."

"Well, then, aren't you going to offer her a ride home?" Pepper's voice had taken on a dangerously low tone. I was more than a little concerned for my safety and she wasn't even talking to me.

Apparently Tony felt similarly because, with a long-suffering sigh, he practically ordered me to get into his vehicle.

The drive was silent and tense. When Stark stopped in front of the motel, he took one look at the peeling, crumbling building with hookers and junkies loitering around the entrance and said frankly, "Stellar place. Really, we should put you in touch with _Better Homes and Gardens_."

Pepper hissed at him angrily to shut up while I shoved the car door open and stalked out, giving my friendly neighbors a 'touch me and I will hang you by your guts' look.

I heard the car door slam shut and brisk footsteps following me. I whirled around, and whipped out my harmonica. Normally, a harmonica isn't very threatening, but when you've rigged it to be part-portable mouth whistle, part six-inch switchblade, it suddenly gets a whole lot of respect. Tony stopped in his tracks and put his hands up in mock surrender.

"Hey, take it easy-."

"Mr. Stark," I interrupted him tersely. "What do you want from me?"

His brown eyes got shifty. "What makes you think I want anything from you?"

"How about the fact that you practically held me captive right outside my work? Or that you haven't stopped watching me out of the corner of your eye since this whole thing started? You knew who I was from the second you came over to my table. You knew who I was, you know what I can do, and you've already wasted over four hours of my time. So, please let's cut to the chase here. What. Do. You. Want?"

Tony Stark was silent for what must have been a personal record for him, then replied, "I need to know what you saw."

"Why? It happened, now it's over. You don't need to know _why_ a2 plus b2 equals c2; you just plug in the numbers and get the answer. I already solved the problem for you, so why are you still harassing me?"

Tony stared at me for a second then burst out laughing, throwing his head back wildly.

"Oh, kid, you are too much. Who'd of guessed that some kid would put me in my place with _math_. 'A2 plus b2', that's great! " Then he whipped out a business card with his name boldly embossed in gold letters and told me to give him a call sometime. I stared at the shiny card and looked up to call him a pompous ass, but he was already tearing off down the road.

I never called him, but I woke up one morning to find some guy in a tux and shades holding a long box outside my door. I'd opened the box to find, unsurprisingly, an Apple Notebook. It came fully loaded with every imaginable upgrade and a few that I suspected were slightly illegal. I'm pretty sure GoogleMaps doesn't usually show how many bunkers are in Area 51 (twelve, if you're curious).

"There are people you should talk to about your Narcissistic Personality Disorder," I shot at him, while jumping back on my feet with an aggrieved huff.

"And you would know, right, Kid?" He didn't wait for a response, moving past me to take a look at my 'formulas'. "What's all this about?"

I made an exasperated sound and glared at the chalkboard. "I'm trying to figure out how to….tune myself? It's like, every person is a melody and that reflects on their possibilities." I try to avoid words like 'future' because it sounds so…definite when life is anything but. Take, for example, a woman buying groceries, let's say eggs, for the sake of argument. She could spend more money for an eighteen pack and have plenty of omelets to go around. Or she could spend less money for an even dozen and have to ration her eggs a little more. Maybe she buys the brown eggs because, apparently, those ones are healthier, or maybe she just gets the little cartons of egg whites. Perhaps she's feeling presumptuous and gets those weird organic duck eggs. And let's say some hunk is watching her while she picks her eggs and he thinks this chick is cute for being so conscientious about her health. Or maybe he thinks that's weird. And what about the eggs themselves? Is one of them just a little too old, just a teensy bit rotten? Or does one of them have the remains of what could have been a living, breathing chicken clucking around? The possibilities are endless. And these bozos get pissed at me not being infallible. I'd like to see the Black Widow figure this shit out on a daily basis.

"Hmmm, that's deep. Soul music and all that. No, I was talking about the chalkboard. Why is there even a chalkboard on this ship? Who even uses these anymore? Retro isn't cool anymore, Kid."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Ha ha."

"I know, I'm a riot," the superhero breezed, eyes still scanning the chalkboard. "What's with all the math if you're trying to connect to the harmony of life?"

"That was almost poetic of you, Tony. You need math to fix a radio, right? If I can find the right frequency, then I'll get a clearer signal on the Asgardian station."

"So that's what this is about? Fury wants you to take a peek at Loki's Wheel in the Sky?"

"Pretty much, which is sooo much easier said than done. Thor's melody is weird enough, like _Livin' on a Prayer_ mixed with the theme song to _My Little Pony_. Loki's is like _Revolution 9_ played backwards. That's some crazy shit right there."

"Wow, I'd feel sorry for you—naw, I don't."

"Your sympathy is overwhelming. Really, why haven't you been sainted yet?"

"The pope's jealous."

"Of course, he is. Nuns must follow you everywhere and bless themselves in your footsteps."

"Righteousness is a hard burden to bear."

"Excuse me, but I was under the impression that there was work to be done." Agent Hill's voice was like getting stabbed with a cattle prod. Luckily for me, I recovered fast.

"I was under the impression S.H.I.E.L.D. was good at finding out naughty secrets on their own. Clearly, we're both mistaken; otherwise I wouldn't be standing here."

"Your task concerns national security, if not farther and-."

"Oh, would you relax? I'm done."

Hill blinked at me and repeated, "Done?"

"Well, with the theoretical part, anyway. I need to play it out, but the composing part's done."

Agent Hill looked vaguely consternated, like she was disappointed I was finished, then she got a smug look on her face.

"That's good, considering Director Fury has a job for you."

"If we're being technical, it's volunteer work, considering she won't get any benefit out of doing whatever Fury's cooked up this time," Stark interjected, leaning against the wall casually.

"The Director would like you to interrogate a prisoner."

"A prisoner. Of course, you must be taking about some other prisoner other than the guy who made a decent attempt at world domination within the last six months, right? Because if you think I'm going anywhere near that bag of cats, you're crazier than he is. Right?"

_**Author's Note: Whew! My goodness, was this chapter a bitch to get out. Finally got it nailed down, and it's extra long to boot! Enjoy!**_


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Loki paced across the floor, his insides churning with a strange mixture of boredom and anxiety. He knew he was swiftly approaching the island prison, but despite all his spying and hours of plotting, Loki had yet to find a way to escape this technological monstrosity. On his last "visit", the Trickster had had the advantage of knowledge of S.H.I.E.L.D's inner workings, thanks to Agent Barton, and the full use of his magic. But S.H.I.E.L.D had learned since then, upgrading their fortress considerably. With his powers leashed, however, Loki- the God who _always_ had a plan, whose very existence thrived on schemes like these- was woefully, infuriatingly trapped.

With a frustrated snarl, Loki mentally _shoved_ a double through the glass wall- a trick that was becoming more and more difficult as the hours progressed. His ghost phased through the heavy doors that guarded his cell and stalked down the hallway. There had to be some weakness to exploit, some edge to worry at.

Raised voices caught his attention, sparking his interest. This could be an angle he could exploit. People were oh, so delicate with their emotions, and it was so much fun to watch relationships crumble with the slip of a few words.

S.H.I.E.L.D. was a great force, not something to be trifled with…but the greatest forces always collapsed upon themselves.

The God followed the voices and, to his immense delight, found Fury and the fiery oracle girl arguing heatedly, while the Man of Iron sauntered behind them. Loki fell into step beside the girl and listened.

"Ms. Argyris, I'm well aware of your reservations-."

"Reservations?" The girl- Loki fished momentarily for her name- Maria interrupted. "I had 'reservations' about talking to a mysterious agency over the Internet. I had reservations about whether or not I should try the new brand of low fat Yoplait. This is not a case of reservations, this is _suicide_."

"Look, Maria, it's a simple task," Fury said irritably. "You go in, you ask some questions, you take a peek into the cookie jar, you get out. The Black Widow could do this in her sleep."

"I'm pretty sure Zeus said something like that to Pandora," Maria snarled, "and look how that turned out for her. And the Black Widow can kill twenty men in a thousand different ways with both hands and one leg behind her back, but you let _her_ stay on the opposite side of the glass."

Loki started when he realized they were talking about him. _So they're sending the canary into the coal mine. How quaint._

"If the Council wasn't breathing down my back about security improvements and alien threats, I wouldn't ask you to do it," Fury snapped. "As it is, this is a way for me to get information and you to show the Council that you're more of an asset than a threat."

"Oh, right, because I clearly have shown interest in becoming a terrorist spy and using S.H.I.E.L.D's information against them. Oh wait."

"I don't think you appreciate the situation you're in. The Council is very anxious about where your loyalties lie. And when the Council gets anxious, they tend to err on the side of caution."

"More like the side of 'shoot first and ask questions later'." She was silent for a few moments then sighed. "Fine, I'll play Interrogation with Loki. Should be fun, right? Nothing like the threat of death to wake you up in the morning, that's what I always say." They reached the end of the hallway and the group paused. Loki scrutinized Maria carefully, taking in her thin form and sharp eyes. Then, with a devilish smirk, he ran his hand down the side of her neck and through her shoulder, phasing through her skin.

The girl gasped loudly and jerked away, bumping into Fury accidentally. He snickered quietly until her silver eyes narrowed and focused on him.

Was it possible for her to see him? Loki dismissed the idea immediately: sadly, his lack of power came in handy as his double didn't have enough power to make itself seen. It didn't help though, when those sharp eyes stayed fixed on him. But, if she could see him, why wasn't she making a fuss?

"You okay, Maria," the Man of Iron asked, having stirred from his complacency.

The girl turned away slowly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

The metal man persisted, "Did you have a vision?" There was an edge in his voice, curiosity, perhaps, that caught Loki's attention.

Maria tilted her head back at him, her eyes half shut and a smirk on her lips. "I was having twelve percent of a vision."

Loki nearly laughed aloud at the expression on the man's face and released his apparition. Opening his eyes, the Trickster mentally welcomed the Oracle. It'd been so long since he'd had a little…fun.

Fury handed the oracle a thick file, no doubt filled with inane questions he had no intention of answering, and typed some data onto a small screen. With a _shick_, the doors to the cell slid open and Fury strode in. The man reached into his pocket; Loki stilled as he recognized the key to the muzzle as Fury revealed it.

"Like this?" The man held the key up. "I bet that muzzle is awfully uncomfortable, so I'm going to make this real simple. Cooperate with Ms. Argyris, and we'll see about taking it off every so often in prison. Hurt her, and we won't even need to use it, because I will personally cut out your tongue and eat it. And if it grows back, I'll do it again."

"Wow, Fury, didn't know you cared. That'll make me feel much better if he decides to kill me. Except, you know, I'd be dead."

Fury ignored her and started working on the muzzle. With a click, it fell into the man's hand and Loki almost groaned from the relief. He turned and calmly left the cell, the door sliding shut behind him. He didn't leave though. Smart man.

"And so they send the lamb to the slaughter," Loki said after a few moments, loving the freeing sound of his voice in the air.

"Cheery, as always," Maria said drily before flipping open the file, silver eyes scanning the page in front of her. "How did you come into contact with the beings known as the Chitauri?"

He smiled at her darkly, remembering the black fall into their arms. "I wouldn't bother your pretty little head about that. The Chitauri are better left alone."

"And you would know, right? Next question- what?" Fury was tapping on the glass, annoyance on his face.

"The purpose of this exercise is to _gain_ information, Ms. Argyris," he informed her.

"Should've thought of that before you stuck in an untrained civilian in a cage with a supervillain. I'm not going to pretend that I can make him tell me anything." Fury backed off and the young woman returned to her list.

"How did you discover the existence of the Tesseract?"

"How does one discover anything," Loki countered, smirking. "By stumbling upon it."

"Uh-huh," skeptically, "And do other objects similar in power to the Tesseract exist in this universe?"

Loki sat on the small bench and leaned back casually. "Well now. Is S.H.I.E.L.D. fumbling for a new toy to destroy themselves with? I hope so. I hope I see it. The question is will you?"

The girl blinked at him. "Pardon?"

Loki stood suddenly and, moving with inhuman speed, was suddenly before her, staring into those grey eyes. "How curious," he purred, "that something so rare could be found in a place so dull as this." The girl took a step back, startled, but matched his gaze, silver to green. The God of Mischief continued, watching her carefully. "It was quite the surprise to learn that not only did a Midgardian oracle exist," she flinched at the word 'oracle', "but that she came in such a delicate, sweet package." He let his eyes rove over her body, appreciative if not impressive, once. "That is, if you can do as you claim," Loki dropped the lecherous act, tilting his head at her.

To his surprise, the so-called seer simply shrugged off his implication with a, "Don't believe me? Most people don't. So, if there are nine worlds, one being lowly Earth and another being the superior and superiorly arrogant Asgard, what realm would be the biggest threat to us right now?"

The god's eyebrows arched a little. "An astute question. And, not one, I think, in your little packet."

Another shrug. "Beats me. Just seemed like something that'd be good to know, for future reference."

"Interesting. Your words feign ignorance but your eyes betray your intelligence, little seer. I wonder just how far you see. In fact," Loki leaned forward, an intense curiosity burning inside him, "I almost wonder if you could answer your own question. Can you do that, pet, see beyond your own world and into others?"

Maria stiffened and her eyes narrowed into blade-thin slits. "I'm not your _pet_."

He smirked at her widely. "Ah, but you are S.H.I.E.L.D.'s precious little pet, aren't you? Oh, you certainly kick up a fuss, but, in the end, you always obey, don't you? Like a disobedient pup."

The girl hissed in anger and he continued, "So small, so fragile, but a world of answers behind those eyes. Why tie yourself to these pitiful beings? Why not use your power? You could break them as easily as I could break you." Loki's hands clenched against their bonds; he wanted to touch her, frighten her, draw her in and chain her.

The girl was silent, tilting her head at him, then replied slightly breathlessly, "Hmmm. I think I'll pass on that. Not a huge fan of breaking things. And on that note, I think I should leave."

"You think they'll protect you?" he taunted her as the door reopened as the oracle fled from him. "Foolish girl, they want only your gift. They will use you, and when your gift fades, they will abandon you, so much is certain."

At those words, Maria froze at the entry way. Very slowly, she turned towards him. Those eyes were wide and intense and he briefly felt the harsh sensation of being exposed, trapped in her gaze.

"And you would know a lot about abandonment, wouldn't you, Loki, Son of Laufey."

And she was gone, exiting as Loki threw himself at the glass, snarling. The glass cracked under the force of the blow. Oh, he was going to get out of here, alright. And when he did…she was going to pay for that. Dearly.

**Yes! Finally done! Thank you so much to all of you who've favorited and followed me. You are all awesome, beautiful people. Quick note, a wonderful reviewer called **_**Skytteflickan**_ **pointed out something to me, so I thought I'd address it here and go back and correct later. She asked why Maria is so cold towards victims in her visions. The primary reason, besides not wanting to be tracked by the government, is that sometimes revealing the future changes it, makes the outcome worse. I'll go back and add that in and probably address it further in future chapters. Until next time, dear readers. Happy MLK Jr. Day!**

**EDIT: Okay, so, naturally, right after I posted this, I started kicking myself for not expanding and intensifying the dialogue between Maria and Loki. It's still not quite right, but they actually have a little bit of back a forth now.**


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

I didn't mean to say that. I didn't even know what it meant, really. Sometimes that happens, where a tiny chunk of vision slips out before I can hold it back. But it sure pissed him off. I felt the force of Loki's fury echoing through time, felt the future reshape and change in response. I could _see _the new pathways as if through a thick fog, _hear_ the shock of this new distortion.

And it hurt.

My head felt like it'd been slammed into a wall, pain pulsing through my body in tandem with the erratic beating of my heart. Someone touched my arm and it burned to the bone, to the soul, and deeper.

I needed air, needed space. I could feel the pressure building and I had to breathe, ride out the wave no matter how deep it took me because fighting it only made it worse. I needed to be alone, to scream, and I wanted to scratch and tear out my eyes because I _knew_ something was coming, something bad and I couldn't stop it, but I was going to have to watch it again and again. And I…was so, so tired.

"You okay, kid," someone asked me, the words echoing strangely like standing in an underground lake, the water reflecting of the roof of the cave.

I looked up at a face that I dimly recognized but couldn't place and smiled.

"Fine. I'm fine."

They _can't_ know.

I don't remember how I got to my room, but there I was, the door was closing and I staggered to the bathroom, and there's already red, red, red on the pristine tiles and I felt the eruption, felt the maelstrom break free and I fell into the abyss.

_I'm standing at the edge of War. At first, all I can see is the blood, scarlet streams running over white and blue. The streams hiss and steam, like water on a skillet. Then the soldiers appear from thin air, charging into battle. I see golden armor and silver swords come crashing down. More blood runs, then come the giants. Blue Goliaths run over the wasteland, spreading ice and ruin as they go. Frost Giants, I knew. I watch as one gilded soldier is seized by a giant, wrapped in a deadly bear hug. The man screamed as his armor turned black and withered away, leaving the soft skin beneath unprotected and vulnerable. The white frost covered him, freezing him into a macabre statue, a testament to fear, pain, and Death. The muscles in the giant's arms tighten and the frozen soldier shatters into a million shards, black and white and red. The ground is thick with red now, and the steam grows and grows._

_Then it clears, and the battle is done, but never won. I see a ruined city surrounded by dead, dressed in blue and gold. I see two kings, one rising as the other slinks into the shadows to wait. I see a baby's skin turn from blue to pink at the touch of a broken man. The child's eyes fasten on mine and as the skin changed, so did the eyes, from the dark red of fire to lush green. Green as ivy, as envy, as the forest. The eyes of a Trickster._

_Now I'm walking behind a man, wearing the navy blue S.H.I.E.L.D. uniform. His movements are determined and quick as we move down the hallways. I can't see where we are, the way is clouded, but some instinct tells me we're back on the Helicarrier. A door appears in front of us. The man looks around then nonchalantly types a code into the lock panel. 3-7-5-8-1. __**Remember.**__ The door slides open. The Agent takes a step over the threshold, hesitates, and then fully enters the room. We're kneeling beside an opened chest and the Agent rummages through the contents. My eyes follow the patterns and designs on the trunk but they seem to change before my eyes, writhing like a mass of snakes. The man cries out in victory and pulls out a pale orb. The surface shimmers where it touches the man's hand and I can feel the energy flowing off of it._

_The man disappears and I'm left with the orb, which hangs in the air like a tiny star. Its energy reaches out and touches me, a cold brush of air that moves through me. Colors flicker behind my eyes: green, gold, red, blue. For a moment, the energy seems to inhale. Then I feel an explosion of magic and rage and triumph that sends me flying._

I gasp and my eyes fly open. I'm lying on the bathroom floor, the sink running noisily. I struggle to sit up and a tacky substance pulls at my face. I manage to pull myself up, leaning heavily against the sink. My lungs suddenly spasm into a coughing fit and I fall to my knees, my hand clamped over my mouth. When my lungs relax again, I pull my hand away from my mouth and stare at the fresh red stain across my palm. With a grunt, I force myself back up. I look at the girl in the mirror across from me. She looks like hell, with dried blood across her cheek and under her nose, new blood speckling her lips. There's the start of a bruise just barely hidden by her hair line. She looks anemic and worn and ghostly. I turn away from her tired eyes and start cleaning up the mess of being me.

I knocked on Fury's door impatiently. I'd already lost more than an hour today and I was anxious to catch up before my vision came true. I was about ready to find a hammer and start going to town when Fury finally opened his door.

"What?" He demanded, glaring at me with his one eye.

"Someone's going to break Loki out," I snarled back. "Should I come back later?"

His eye narrowed, "You mean from the prison."

"No, I mean from here, as in from the Dunk Tank."

"That's impossible," the Director said flatly. "There's no way anyone could bypass our security, not to mention the Asgardian safeguards."

"Apparently not. This isn't a matter of could happen, it's a matter of _will happen_." I could feel it in my bones, the certainty.

"I don't believe this," The Bitch came out of nowhere. "Not three hours ago, you were whining about how hard it is to predict the future, and now, out of nowhere, you've got a guaranteed prophecy that's hours away from happening? Director, this is bullshit."

"Oh my god, can you just stop? Your stupid little 'protocol' and your eons of experience don't count for jack and shit against Loki, and you know it."

"QUIET!" The Bitch and I froze and glared at Fury. "Agent Hill, your skepticism is appreciated but we have to remain open to all possibilities. Maria, can you give us any specifics that could help us?"

"Help you what? Prevent Loki from escaping? Sorry, but you can't stop it. It doesn't matter what you do, he'll bust out of here just the same."

"I'm sorry, Maria," Director Fury intoned, "but I can't accept that. What information do you have?"

I sighed in frustration. Why does no one ever listen? "Loki's magic is connected to this orb-key thing. Someone, one of your men, is going to find the orb and unlock his magic, either intentionally or unintentionally. The orb is in a chest that has a moving design. The chest is in a locked room with the passcode 3-7-5-8-1."

The Bitch and Fury were silent for a few moments, then the Bitch said in a tone of disbelief, "That's it? That's all you have?"

"Um, yeah, that's it. You want me to do some interpretive dance too?"

"Do you know who the man is," Fury insisted.

"I never saw his face." When the Bitch started sputtering with repressed rage, I added, "You have a location, what else do you need? Just park a couple of agents there and watch. Not that it'll help."

Fury rubbed the bridge of his nose agitatedly, his eye shut, then he looked back at us.

"Hill, pick a squad and head down to Thor's room. Tell him I'll be there in a few minutes to brief him on the situation. Maria, as of now, you're under lockdown. Stay in your room, don't come out until I give the order. Understood?"

"And what happens if Loki comes looking for me," I demanded. I hadn't forgotten the look on his face when I'd left the cell. He wouldn't be forgetting about me anytime soon, that much was clear.

Fury reached into his pocket and pulled out a pistol. "You know how to shoot?"


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

**The Helicarrier Conference Room**

The room was dark, as usual, illuminated only by the soft glow behind the Council's faces. The door was locked, the room soundproofed. The Agent in the room stood at parade rest, awaiting his orders.

"Thank you for joining us, Agent David," the Council woman greeted him.

The Agent nodded sharply, but said nothing, eyes straight ahead.

"You have two tasks, Agent," a Council man decreed. "First, you are to secure the key to Loki's magic from Thor. Use any means necessary."

"Second, you are to keep a close eye on Miss Argyris. If, by the time you reach the prison, Director Fury has not managed to convince her to sign on to S.H.I.E.L.D., you are to neutralize her in any way possible. If there is an emergency, neutralize her immediately. She can't slip away from us again."

"Do you understand, Agent David?"

The Council stared down at the man, who replied, "Yes, Council, I understand."

"Good man," the Council woman approved.

**The Helicarrier Lab**

I fiddled with my new pistol absentmindedly, reminding myself quietly how to shoot. I mean, I knew the basic principle behind it. You know, safety off, cock it back, pull the trigger, bang. I was just a little iffy on the whole idea of "aiming". I mean, you'd think it'd be simple, just point in the right direction and fire away, but no, it's never that easy. Hawkeye had taken me down to the shooting range to practice for a bit. His birdy senses could probably tell I'd never shot a gun in my life. After I got over the fact that there was a shooting range on this floating hunk of metal (I wasn't sure whether to be intrigued or concerned), he had me shoot at targets twenty, ten, and five feet away.

Well, the good news was if Loki right in front of me and stayed perfectly still and, you know, didn't just kill me on the spot, I might, just might, actually hit him.

Unfortunately for me, if Loki really did come after me, I doubted I'd even know it was coming before I was just a slab of meat on the steel floor.

"So, my life prospects are looking great so far," I remarked candidly as Hawkeye hurriedly led me away from the shooting range. Poor guy, watching me shoot was probably like making an MMA fighter watch the WWE channel. Sadly hilarious and hilariously sad.

"You'll be fine, just stay behind the big guns," the archer replied. "Now, if anyone asks, tell them you're a dead shot."

"Haha, that's funny because I'll probably be dead before I can make a shot."

Hawkeye smiled and ruffled my hair. "Sour puss. Besides," his voice went cold, "Loki's smart. As much as he'd like to, he probably wouldn't kill you. Maybe lock you in a dungeon until you agree to work for him, but not kill you. Dead bodies are only good for crow food."

I gave him a blank look. "So, my choices are death or imprisonment. Yay."

Hawkeye walked me back to the lab in companionable silence. I guess he's not so bad after all, funny, observant. A free spirit, too. He even showed me how to get into the vents.

"Hey, Maria," the spy said suddenly, "are you sure about staying out of S.H.I.E.L.D? I mean, you don't exactly have a lot of allies and you could do some real good as an Agent, I can tell."

I smiled wanly. "The only difference between what I do now and what I'd do as an Agent is a paycheck."

"Yeah, but you'd also have backup if you got into trouble, not to mention the Council would be a lot happier if you were squarely on our side."

I puffed out an annoyed sigh. "See, that's where I'm not so sure. The Council likes having everything nice and neat, with no chance of deviation. I mean, they had four superheroes and their best Agents on the ground at Manhattan and the Council was ready to blow it all sky high. So, they've got me and my talent. Seeing the future is already about as chancy as it gets, but then you throw in my winning personality, and I become more of a liability than anything. I'd be willing to bet that if I joined S.H.I.E.L.D officially, I'd be dead within the year."

Hawkeye stopped and gave me a hard look. "You really think so?"

I shrugged, "Dead or locked in a lab somewhere far, far away. I'm a very good gambler, Hawkeye, and I always know when to hedge my bets."

He smiled at that, "So I've heard." He opened the lab door for me. "No chance you'll change your mind?"

I shook my head. "I like life. I like being able to do as I please. Working for S.H.I.E.L.D- not to mention Loki- is not conducive to either of those things. I don't think it's unreasonable to want to live to twenty-five, do you?"

Agent David casually walked down the hallway, nodding at his fellow Agents before reaching the doorway. Another Agent, David couldn't remember his name, was standing guard, impatiently tapping his toes. Agent David nodded in greeting and politely said, "Mind if I stand with you for a bit?"

"Sure," the guard replied amiably. He was clearly happy to be distracted from the tedium of guard duty for a little while.

They were quiet for a moment before David asked, "How much longer you got?"

The guard groaned lightly, "Two hours. And I wanted to wish my little Annie a happy birthday."

David made a sympathetic noise, "And the Director only allows telecoms for the next hour. That's rough."

"I know!"

David was quiet for a moment before saying conspiratorially, "You know, I could man the fort for you for a little bit. Just long enough for you to say hi and all that."

The Agent bit his lip for a moment, debating, then he smiled ruefully. "Naw, Director Fury would tear me a new one if he caught me. I'll just have to catch her tomorrow."

"You sure? I mean, I really don't mind," Agent David pressed.

This time there was no hesitance when the young man shook his head. "Yeah, I'm sure. Besides, what kind of example would I be setting for Annie if I skipped out on my job early."

David looked at the Agent and smiled at him. "You're a good man, Agent."

The Agent gave him a broad smile and opened his mouth to reply, but all that came out was a choked gasp. "Sorry, Agent. Duty calls," the man apologized as the guard crumpled to the ground, pulling his knife out of the young Agent's chest.

"Now," David murmured to himself, "let's see here…" The man typed 3-7-5-8-1 into the keypad. With a _shick_, the door slid open. Agent David, hoisting the still-warm body over his shoulder, walked into Thor's room, door sliding shut behind him.

Loki sat on the floor of his prison, eyes closed; meditating, if you will. He was close, so close to freedom or imprisonment. All he needed was a tiny shift in his odds and these pathetic mortals would know the wrath of a god.

And as if the Norns had decided to grant him favor, the Trickster felt it. A loosening of the powers that bound him. Just enough to give his magic a little more…potency. He didn't know what caused it, but a wide, fiendish grin stretched across his face. Time for a little bit of mayhem…

I felt it before I heard it, a sharp crackling feeling like lightning licking across the sky. Then there was a high pitched whine as power flooded through wires and gauges. The fluorescent lights became sharper, brighter, then with burst like firecrackers, showering the lab with glass and sparks. I threw my hands over my head instinctively and hissed as sharp edges nipped into my skin. Hawkeye started shouting at the lab techs, demanding explanations they didn't have. I brought down my hands and saw the blood bubbling up from tiny scratches.

"It's starting."


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The Helicarrier exploded with activity. Men dressed in black marched down the halls carrying impressive-looking guns. Agents warily began locking down the labs and armories, fingering their own weapons holstered at their sides. One thing I've gotta say about S.H.E.I.L.D., they certainly know how to respond to impending crisis. I was marched down several hallways, most of which were dark and full of shattered glass. My hands still stung from the tiny cuts across the back of my knuckles. Hawkeye marched ahead of us, his bow loaded and ready for action.

We turned a corner and Director Fury was waiting for us.

"What's the situation," he demanded, falling into stride with Hawkeye.

"Frankly, sir, we don't know," Hawkeye admitted. "Agents are reporting power surges throughout the ship. So far nothing crucial has failed, just lights, but it's only a matter of time."

"What's the status on Loki?" My ears perked up a little.

"So far he's still contained. However, power keeps surging in that zone. Sooner or later, he's getting out."

"Sooner," I added in, "definitely sooner." Anxiety was building in my chest. I was…missing something. I could feel it. Something wasn't quite fitting in to place, but I could sense some kind of threat. Of course, it could just be the homicidal alien I'd antagonized but it didn't feel like _him_.

"I don't understand. His power should be contained. How is he making this happen?"

"Director Fury!" We all looked to see Thor looming down the hall. "What has happened," the blonde giant demanded.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out," the dark man said curtly.

"There is a corpse in my bedroom," Thor ground out, "the key to my brother's magic is missing, a portion of which has been released, and you mean to tell me that you don't know how this happened?"

"Guys, guys," I interjected as the tension skyrocketed. "Let's calm down a little here. We're all just as clueless-." The first part of Thor's statement clicked in my head. "Wait, there's a dead guy in your room?"

Thor nodded solemnly. "I'm told the man was called Sullivan. He was tasked to guard my room, which I was not told about and now he is dead, stabbed in the heart, and the key is missing. I want to know why."

Hawkeye hissed quietly at the Agent's name. I glanced at him. "Friend of yours?"

He shook his head. "Not really. He was a new kid, fresh from training. He has a wife and a little girl. I think today was supposed to be her birthday."

_Her father died for her birthday._ A sneering voice whispered in my ear. _Another death on your head, little seer._ I swung around startled.

Naturally, there was no one there.

"Maria?" Barton said with concern in his voice.

I looked around once more. "It's nothing."

All three of them looked doubtful. I closed my eyes and thought. "Thor," I started, "how does the key work? How do you activate it?"

Thor frowned. "It is a complex magic, Lady Maria." I rolled my eyes at the title but didn't interrupt. "The key will not open unless it comes into contact with the blood of Midgard and an infusion of magic. That way, Loki could not be freed except by the will of those he wronged, both mortal and Aesir."

"Is the 'Blood of Midgard' some clever metaphor for something or is it actually, you know, blood?"

He didn't reply.

"I'll take the awkward silence as just blood then. So that mystery is solved then," I mused.

Hawkeye nodded. "Chest wounds leak a lot of blood. Some of it could have gotten on the killer's hands, from there onto the key when he stole it."

"He was probably more worried about dropping fingerprints than blood droplets," Fury added.

"But that would not be enough to fully unlock Loki's power," Thor interjected. "The key requires the blood of a Midgardian woman as well."

"Who said his power was fully unlocked?" Information settled into my head, making me dizzy with epiphany. "I mean, blowing out light bulbs is pretty small shakes for a guy who figured out how to open a trans dimensional portal on the most magically-retarded planet in the universe. Right now, he's just fucking with us, trying to make us lose our cool. If I were him, and I suddenly had my magic fully restored, I wouldn't be wasting time with tricks."

"He'd bring down the whole ship," Thor realized slowly.

"Exactly."

We stood there for a few moments, quietly absorbing the new knowledge.

"We need to get Maria off the Helicarrier," Barton spoke up suddenly.

"Agreed," Thor said. "If Loki truly breaks free, it would bode ill if he had a way to see the future."

"If he doesn't just kill me," I added.

Fury nodded his consent. He gave me one last look. "Are you sure you won't reconsider it?"

I didn't need to ask what 'it' referred to. "Absolutely."

The Director nodded. "Good luck to you, then.

Now, we were running down the hallway, me and the Hawk. I think the plan was to get to one of the Quinjets and get the hell out of Dodge. Naturally, nothing ever goes according to plan.

"Wait here for a sec," Hawkeye said suddenly when we came to another intersection. "I've gotta check this hallway."

"'Kay," I replied somewhat anxiously.

The man walked down a little ways, checked in a couple doorways. He started coming back when a loud alarm suddenly went off above us. An equally jarring premonition made me jump backwards as a thick steel wall came sliding down, trapping me on one side and my backup on the other. I rushed up to the wall and started rapping at it.

"Clint! Are you okay, man," I shouted through the wall. I don't think he could hear me, but I could feel the wall vibrating, presumably from Hawkeye smacking it from the other side. Then there was nothing.

"Maria," I heard a tinny version of Clint's voice from behind me. I turned around and saw a small pad glowing on the wall. "Can you hear me?"

I moved to the pad. Clint's face looked sweaty and distorted through the screen. "Yeah, I hear you."

"The nutjob must've hacked the security system. I can't get the wall to come back up."

"Okay," I said a bit faintly. Loki was getting stronger and he was taking out our defenses. Things were not looking good for Team Sort-of Good Guys. "What do we do now?"

"You need to follow that hallway behind you. You'll hit a red door at the end of it. That's the engine room. Go in, get into the air duct above the safety panel. Left, left, straight, right, then get out. Got it?"

"Left, left, straight, right?"

"That's it, I'll—" His voice cut out there with a harsh keening sound, then it was replaced with a cold, familiar voice.

"Are you frightened yet, little one?" Loki's voice came through loud and clear, leaving no doubts as to who'd cut Clint off. "You should be. Because once I'm free, I'll be paying you a little visit, but not before I obliterate your friends and loved ones."

I barked a hard laugh. "Family? What family? Do your research, Mr. Sorceror: I don't have one. And the closest thing I have to friends is Iron Man and the guy on the other side of this wall. Both of which I'm sure would love to kick your ass. Again."

"Really? Well, then I suppose I'll just come straight for you. And won't we have some _fun_?" The pad went black and silent then, so I assumed he was done, for now.

"Red door, red door. Left, left, straight, right." I muttered as I started down the hallway.

I got to the engine room without incident and the door happily was unlocked. However, I was then faced with a small problem.

"How the _hell_ am I supposed to get into the air duct?" The duct in question was sturdily screwed into the wall at all four corners, the top two being too high for me to reach, even standing on top of the safety panel.

"Well, this isn't where I expected to find you."

I looked behind me, startled. An Agent, kind of bland looking, was standing there easily. He was smiling amiably at me, blue eyes warm and friendly. He had the kind of face you'd miss in a crowd. Not outstanding, not hideous, just average.

The perfect face for a spy.

"People tell me that all the time," I finally said, watching him uneasily.

The man's smile grew a little, then he looked up at the grate. "Trying to get in?"

"Uh, yeah, I wanted to try out a trick Agent Barton showed me," I responded quickly. The unease I'd been feeling was growing fiercer.

"Where you headed?"

"Main bridge." The paranoia-borne lie slipped out as easily as breathing. "I was exploring when that wall came down. Just trying to find my way back."

The Agent nodded, pursing his lips. "Need a hand?"

"Uh, sure."

He clambered up onto the panel and pulled out a knife. He started unscrewing the top left screw.

"So, the Hawk taught you how to get through the vents, huh," the Agent said conversationally.

"Uh huh."

"Good thing you're a tiny thing, otherwise you'd never fit."

What was with this guy and conversation?

"You know," he went on, "it's pretty tricky, navigating these vents. One wrong turn and you could be end up stuck in the blades." He dropped one screw and smiled at me. "One down."

"I think I'll be okay." I said shortly. The man started working on the second screw.

"One thing about the Hawk, he's got a damn good memory. Practically a savant when it comes to remembering where things are. Makes him an incredible Agent. Thing is, he might not realize that other people aren't….like him. Might forget to mention things that aren't necessary for him but might be life or death for someone less…"

"Incredible?" I offered sardonically. I could see his game, but I couldn't figure out his motive.

He smiled at me like I was brilliant for figuring it out. "Yes. Just that. There were accidents in the past, kids trying to be like their idol. One wrong step and," he made a slicing gesture across his throat. He dropped the second screw to the floor. "That's two."

I couldn't figure this guy out, but the hair on my neck was practically doing the Nazi march, it was so stiff. "You know," I offered, "I think I can get the rest on my own. I mean, thanks for helping me out but I'm sure you've got more important things to do then this."

His smile just kept getting wider and brighter, I was starting to wonder if his skull was about to crack open. "It's no problem at all. Things are getting kind of tense out there and you're one of our _priorities_." Next screw. "You nervous or something?"

"What?"

"You're dancing around like a kid playing with fire." I guess I'd started rocking back and forth on my feet subconsciously.

"Uh, no, not really." Lie, lie. "I'm just jittery, I guess."

"You've got nothing to worry about. If the 'god' so much as cracks the glass, he'll have every Agent on board all over him."

I made a noncommittal grunt and the third screw pinged on the floor. "Last one," I commented. The man nodded but didn't say anything, thank heavens. I was getting tired of his game, whatever it was. There were a few moments of awkward silence until he pulled out the last screw. He pulled off the vent with a grunt and jumped to the floor. The Agent smiled brightly at me and handed me the slab of metal.

"All done."

"Yep, sure looks like it." I looked down at the shuttered metal, a flickering starting behind my eyes. "I never did get your name."

"David, Agent David."

_Neutralize her__ immediately-__You're a good man, Agent—bloody hands lifting out a pulsing orb.—Sorry, Agent._

The vision passed as quickly as it came. I blew out a strained breath and looked back up, schooling my face. Agent David must have caught a glimpse though because something dark flickered through his eyes before his pleasant demeanor slipped back into place.

"Is everything all right," he asked concernedly.

I stared at him for a beat then smiled brightly. "Yeah, everything's great."

He looked like he was about to say something but a beep suddenly came from his ear. Both of us jumped and smiled at each other sheepishly.

"You mind if I get this," he asked, turning his head so I could see the black Bluetooth earpiece.

"Oh, no, you go ahead."

The Agent beamed at my understanding and turned away. He put his fingers up to his ear and said, "Yeah?"

The people on the other end were panicked enough that I could hear the response. "The prison is failing! Loki is not free but the glass is starting to shatter. We can't hold him much longer, we need backup."

"I'll get right on it," Agent David promised, then hung up. He sighed. "It's a shame, you know. You seem like a nice—." The metal cover slammed into his head before he could finish.

"I get that a lot," I grunted, dropping the vent and bolting for the chute. I could hear him groaning and swearing. Damn it, hadn't hit him hard enough. I jumped onto the table and scrambled up into the vent. I'd almost made it when there was a loud cracking sound and pain shot up my leg. I shrieked and hauled myself into the vent, crawling as quickly as I could. I felt warmth trickling down my calf. The bastard shot me. I could hear him trying to come after me as I took the first corner.

"You can't get away from me, girl. It'd go easier for you if you just give up." His voice echoed down the corridor.

"Too bad easy ain't my style." I muttered to myself and I continued down the vent. "Left, left, straight, right."

Hawkeye was waiting for me at the end of the tunnel, cover already popped off the vent. He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me out.

"You alright, kid," he asked.

A hysterical laugh burbled out of my throat as the adrenaline high I'd been running on started to crash. "Yeah, sure, totally fine. Just had a chat with a traitor Agent, that's all."

"What?!"

"Oh yeah, he was super polite too, until he shot me in the leg. That was rude. Am I still bleeding? I can't tell."

"Damn," he swore before dropping to his knees and poking at my soaked calf. I hissed and kicked at him.

"Don't fucking poke it, you asshole, it hurts."

The archer ignored me and started working up my pant leg until he could see the wound, which he then proceeded to prod at.

"It's not too bad. He grazed you pretty good but you should be fine. I'll wrap it up on the plane but we need to get going. Did you get his name?"

"David. He said it was David."

"David," Hawkeye muttered. "David, David. I don't recognize the name." I shrugged. "Can you walk?"

"Yeah, I'm good." The archer grabbed my arm and slung it over his shoulder.

"Let's get you out of here," the spy growled.

We didn't get five steps before I felt a sharp tingle at the base of my spine. I stopped. "Do you feel that," I asked.

"Feel what?"

I opened my mouth to answer when the air suddenly thickened and charged. A blast of power rammed through the hangar, lights shattering and planes slamming into each other. The blast hit us and we flew apart.

_He's out._ I thought as I seemingly floated through the air. Time slowed for a moment then sped up as my body met the wall. There was an explosion of white across my eyes as pain bloomed through my head and there was nothing.

Loki stepped from the wreckage of his cage, dead bodies in blue uniforms scattered around the room. His power crackled and purred at his command, fully charged and ready to unleash destruction on these mortal fools. _Now, where is the oracle?_ He conjured his doubles, enough to easily scour the ship while causing pure chaos. "Find the girl, destroy anything in your path." They all smiled sinister smiles and disappeared.

Another host of soldiers came barging through the door and Loki summoned his daggers. "I hope you're prepared to die," he hissed, then twisted into action. His knives made short work of the supposedly superior Agents. They had no chance against one such as him. He finished off the last one, blade neatly slitting his throat with the grace of a composer. The god wiped the blood of his blade on his armor and one of the doubles returned.

"We found her," it said in his voice.

Loki smiled. "Show me."

The girl was lying on the cold, metal floor against a wall. He stood over her body for a moment, watching for movement. She was breathing, but unconscious, a trickle of blood running down her forehead. Loki saw her eyelids flutter lightly, then open. With a movement as quick as a viper, he reached down and seized her by the throat, hoisting her up and pinning her to the wall. The girl gasped and choked in surprise, silver-grey eyes wide, her nails clawing at his hand while she tried vainly to kick him away.

"Why, hello there. What a pleasure seeing you again," he purred nastily.

"Let go of me," she choked out with a snarl.

"No need to be nasty," the Trickster chided, tightening his grip slightly. Her pulse hammered under his fingers. "How does it feel, little one, to be at someone else's mercy? To have your life literally in someone else's hand? I could snap your scrawny neck with a twitch of my wrist and it would be as easy as breathing." She didn't answer as she struggled to breathe, glaring at him through slitted eyes. He leaned in close, breathing cool air across her face. "I can't decide. Should I kill you or keep you? You've made me quite cross and it would be so easy to kill you. But how useful you could be, if I broke you, owned you."

"Why don't you….make up your mind, then? I can't…stop you here," Maria hissed between breaths.

"No, you certainly can't." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Why don't you beg for it?" He tightened his hold cruelly, making her twist desperately as the air was cut off from her lungs. Her nails pierced his skin, the marks healing in moments. He waited a few more moments, then loosened his grip so she could breathe again. "Beg."

"Fuck you," she growled. He tightened his grip again, waiting longer this time before letting her breathe again.

"Beg," he ordered.

"No." She snagged a breath before his grip became crushingly tight.

"I can do this all day, little oracle, it's no hardship to me. Now, beg."

Much to Loki surprise, the sound that came from her mouth wasn't a curse or a cry. It was a harsh, wheezing laugh.

"You think I'm scared of you? Of dying? Believe me, I've seen worse fates. I've seen… the world burn a hundred times over. You could kill me…, but what would that get you? You could 'keep me' …but I'll tell you now, you will never break me…, you will never own me. So, make your choice, Loki Laufeyson, Loki Odinson…I won't help you."

Loki stared into her eyes and once again felt the disconcerting sensation of being trapped. He tilted his head at her and smiled. "Never say never, little one. I have many ways of getting what I want."

"Release her, Loki," Thor's booming voice shattered the connection between them. Fury and several other Agents followed, many of them bloodied and angry, guns at the ready. One rushed over to the still side of the Hawkeye. Loki looked over at them and sneered.

"You think your feeble weapons can harm me," he taunted them. "I am beyond mere mortal toys."

"Brother, please, let Maria go," Thor insisted. "She has no quarrel with you."

"We will not hesitate to shoot you," Fury added. "Release her."

Loki looked between Thor and Fury then smirked. "You won't shoot me," he murmured. He yanked Maria from the wall and pulled her to his chest, hand still tight on her throat. "Your weapons can't harm me, but they can certainly harm her."

"Brother, stop this. This is not honorable, it gains you nothing."

Loki glared at Thor. "I am not your brother, fool. I've been dishonored since birth. Why should I care now?"

His doubles appeared beside him and attacked. Thor roared a battle cry as three attacked him at once. The chaos of battle ensued as he slipped away, dragging the struggling oracle with him. He grunted as her head banged his chin once. _Enough _he thought irritably. He adjusted his grip on Maria, fingers pressing into the skin below her jaw. She went rigid as the blood flow was cut off from her head before going completely limp. He slung her body over his shoulder and disappeared without a trace.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

_Falling. Darkness passed me by endlessly. There was no time, there was no life, only falling in blackness. My long body turned and twisted through space, searching for anything, a ledge, a branch, a stone, anything to grab and stop this maddening endless fall. _

_ And then, a large hand grasping my own, pulling me along space and time like a patient mother leading her child along the road. My eyes, too long in the dark, saw nothing; not my savior, not the ground we walked on. But I heard a harsh laugh, like the song of a raven. _

_ "I've been waiting for you, Loki of Asgard."_

A sudden pain shot through my head and I gasped.

"Wake up," that cold voice commanded. When I didn't respond, an open-handed blow rocked my head back with a crack. "Wake up."

"Alright, alright, I'm awake already. God," I snarled as the pain settled into a pulsing rhythm in my head, like a demented bongo drum beating its merry way through my brain. The Trickster was crouched in front of me, balanced easily on the balls of his feet.

"Good, you're already learning respect for your betters," Loki smirked at me. I blinked.

"What the fuck are you going on about?"

"'God' is certainly a fitting title for one such as me, although 'King' or 'Your Majesty' are also acceptable," he explained slowly, as if talking to a "Special" child.

"You, _sir_, need to get over yourself," I said flatly, rolling my head back to look around. I was in a stone circular room, the walls going twenty feet up easily. There was a small window leaking sunlight into the otherwise dim room, up high on the wall behind me. There was some form of cot thing against a wall. I myself was tied to a chair, hands behind my back and each leg secured to a chair leg.

Loki slapped me again dismissively. I could feel the skin on my cheek tightening into a bruise. "What did you see?"

He placed special emphasis on 'see' as if I needed a reminder of why I'd been suddenly kidnapped by a space alien. I raised an eyebrow at him and looked him up and down.

"Well, at first I was thinking 'tacky Renaissance Faire reboot', now I'm thinking 'ninja samurai meets goth vampire slayer'."

He did not appreciate my eye for fashion.

"Don't play with me, girl," the Asgardian threatened as I nursed a new cut along the inside of my cheek, "I've been at this game for far longer than you can imagine; you won't win. Now, what did you see?"

I closed my eyes, stretching my head side to side, trying to ease the kink in my neck. "What makes you think I saw anything?"

He smirked again. "You talk in your sleep. Nothing intelligible, but enough to arouse my suspicions. What did you see, little seer, and don't lie."

My neck cracked a little, easing the tension in my neck and skull. I briefly celebrated the respite as I said, "I didn't see anything." Truth.

Loki rocked back on his heels, scowling briefly before looking thoughtful.

"Ah ha, clever girl. You _saw _nothing, but perhaps you heard something interesting, hmm?"

Why do I always get stuck with the evil geniuses? Just once, could I please have an evil dumbass for a change? This time, it was a backhand that interrupted my reverie and split open my lip.

"I'm waiting, little seer. What did you hear?"

My answer was a wad of blood and spit soaring into his cheek. The expressions that went across his face would've been funny if I hadn't been sitting less than two feet away from the man in question. It went something like startled shock to realization to murderous rage. The back of his hand cracked against my head so hard, my chair teetered over onto the floor. My head smacked against the stone ground and I briefly saw stars before the chair was easily flipped back to rights. Loki's eyes were cold and unforgiving.

"Clearly, I haven't been firm enough in my demands. You will tell me what I want to know and you will cooperate with me or you will be very, very sorry."

I met his hard eyes with my own. "Go fuck yourself, loser."

It was a very long night.

The next time I woke up, I was still in the chair, but untied and, thankfully, alone. My right cheek felt swollen and bruised, my lip was split, and I had a raging headache but otherwise there wasn't too much damage. Not yet. He'd gone easy on me. I doubted I'd be so lucky tonight. I stood up gingerly and looked around my cell. Just a cot, the chair, and a silver toilet I hadn't noticed earlier, looking out of place with the medieval walls. There was a door on the far wall (locked, of course). I wandered around the room, running my hand across the rough stone walls. I craned my neck up to look at the window, a good ten feet above my head. Even if I could climb up there, I could tell it was even smaller than the S.H.I.E.L.D. vents, impossible for even a scrawny girl like me to get through, even if there weren't thick iron bars blocking the way out. Nope, the only thing getting in and out of that window was sunlight, and not much of that either. Already, the light was becoming dimmer in the room.

I sighed and sat down on the cot. Nothing to do but wait.

He certainly took his time. I whistled through every song I could think of, used the toilet once, and wore a path through the floor from pacing. I checked my pockets, for the billionth time (nothing, fat lot of nothing. Fucking alien sorcerer). Captivity is only fun in movies. In reality, it's just endless boredom with a spike of fear.

The sun had mostly set and I was pacing around the room whistling "Highway to Hell" when the chair started humming softly. I stopped my pacing and gave it a slightly alarmed look. I backed away as the humming intensified. _What the hell,_ I thought as the chair started subtly glowing. Then I felt a force grip my wrists and I had a moment to think _Oh, shit,_ and was suddenly yanked forward. I yelped as I was violently twisted around and dropped into the chair. My arms came together behind my back and I felt invisible ropes wrap around my wrists and ankles. I hissed in pain as the ropes tightened harshly. The door slowly opened.

"Miss me, little seer?"

Loki had to admit, the seer was strong. It had been three nights since he'd brought her to this antiquated mansion, far, far from New York City and out of S.H.I.E.L.D's reach and he had yet to break her. The girl would go from snarling insults to stormy silence to quiet calm and back to snarling, but never letting him get under her skin or inside her mind. He wondered how a mortal, barely of age, was capable of keeping a God from slipping into her mind. It took ages to gain that kind of psychic prowess; this girl would be lucky if she lived another decade. So how was she keeping him out? It was mind boggling. No matter what physical and psychic beatings, she stubbornly held her ground.

No matter, he shrugged. She was only mortal and her mind could only take so much. Even tonight, he'd left her bloody and unconscious in his spelled chair.

Loki shrugged as he opened the door to his bedroom and settled for bed. _Tomorrow. She'll be broken by tomorrow._ He smiled to himself as he closed his eyes. Sleep came more swiftly than usual.

The Lie-Smith gasped as he dropped through space. _No,_ he thought. _This can't be happening._ He could here the rustling of Chitauri warriors and a trace of fear thudded through his heart. Loki landed with a thud on cold, black rocks and chilling laughter echoed in the empty space around him.

"And here falls the prodigal prince, lowly in his defeat." Loki pushed himself to his feet, heart pounding, as the Mad Titan walked down a set of crude stairs. The Chitauri hissed all around him and Loki saw The Other standing at the base of the stairs. The Other bared his crimson teeth at the fallen prince.

"I wasn't defeated," Loki recovered, mind jumping from plan to plan, seeking an escape desperately, "merely set back temporarily. The Tesseract will be yours, I have sworn it."

"You lost, Loki, Son of Laufey. You failed us," The Other spoke in his rasping voice.

"Did you think we would simply let you escape unpunished," Thanos's voice was quiet, but no less menacing for the lack of volume.

"I assure you, I haven't failed you," Loki cast around for any way out. This was his talent, escaping from any and all trouble, especially when he was the cause of it. So why couldn't he see a way out? "I just need more time."

"You are out of time, princeling." The Other pulled out a long narrow dagger, ragged as the teeth of Nidhogg, stained black with blood. There was the echoing ring of weapons being drawn. Thanos just smiled his cold, deathly smile.

"This is the end, Loki. It will be neither quick nor peaceful and you will beg for the end before we are finished with you."

Loki crouched down and pulled out his own daggers. Call him a liar, a trickster, a cheat, but none had ever dared call Loki of Asgard a coward.

The Chitauri hissed and the Other chuckled, a sound like the scream of grating stones. Then the sound stopped. "What is this," the Other screeched in outrage. Loki blinked and glanced behind him to see a very pale, nearly transparent Maria. Her clothes and face were splattered with blood but she didn't seem to be in any pain. The oracle looked around at her surroundings, met his gaze, looked away, then shot back to him, silver eyes widening.

"What is this place? How did I get here?" She looked around again, taking in the sharp, shining exoskeletons of the Chitauri around them.

"Do you think we will be fooled by such a pathetic illusion?" The Other sneered and waved his dagger at Maria. "Such feeble work, clearly you are no longer any use to us after all."

"They can see me?" Maria looked down at her ghostly body. "Oh, hell no, I am outta here." She flickered then, like a flag flapping in the wind.

"Wait, little mortal. Let us take a look at you." Thanos flicked his giant hand. Maria gasped as her body was jerked forward, like a fish on a hook, towards the purple Deviant.

"Let go of me," she twisted, trying unsuccessfully to free herself.

Thanos tilted his head at her curiously. Her body stopped in front of the Titan suddenly, and Maria teetered forward precariously before she regained her balance.

"Such a little thing, but with so much….potential," Thanos mused, reaching out to touch her. Maria danced out of the way. _Clever girl_, Loki thought. In this form, Maria was pure energy, easier for Thanos to manipulate than a child molding clay. He could destroy her with a thought. "Tell me, little king, have you…tapped her potential? Have you seen what she could do? I can feel her power from here." With superhuman speed, Thanos reached out and snagged Maria by the hair. Maria shrieked as he pulled her up to his face, her feet not even brushing the floor. "Such lovely eyes, I could pluck them right out of your skull."

"Let's not and say we didn't," Maria gasped out, hands in her hair, trying to relieve the pain of dangling more than a foot off the ground by her hair. She swiveled around, catching Loki's eyes again. He could see the whirring of her mind behind those bright eyes, putting pieces together.

Thanos laughed then, a wild, insane cackle.

"Oh, you are a treat. But how did you get here, little ghost? Did you slip away from Death or are you a wanderer from the mortal plane?"

Maria stilled then, wide eyes staring into Loki's green eyes.

"This is you," she said. "This is your present." He saw the final piece of her puzzle click into place. "Then all I have to do is…"she didn't finish, instead vanishing with the silence of an owl's wings. _Now_, Loki sprung into action, casting a double of himself while teleporting his body away from the now-enraged Titan. He all but flew away while pain wracked through his body; the Mad Titan clearly had turned his rage onto the clone that stood in his place. Finally he stopped behind a large outcropping of rock, taking deep gulps of air as a particularly fierce pain slid down his collar bone to his groin. A presence suddenly barreled into him with a startling intensity, hard enough to make him stumble to the ground.

"What the _fuck_ did you do to me?" Maria's livid expression was almost comical on her phantom face. She stood with her arms crossed, legs apart, eyes as wild as fire.

Loki groaned softly, chuckling to himself. How low had he fallen that he was surprised by a mortal's psychic attack. Granted, Maria was no ordinary mortal, but still, his pride ached a bit.

"I don't know what you mean, little seer." He sneered at her. "Although, I will admit you were unexpectedly useful to me."

"No, no, no, you don't understand. I am not supposed to be 'useful', you motherfucking bastard. I am supposed to witness things. Giant purple aliens are not supposed to reach out and dangle me by my fucking hair. I shouldn't even be here." She was practically hovering off the ground from sheer agitation. "You did this to me, you brought me here."

"And you slipped away from him, yet here you are. How did you manage that, little one?" Loki reached for her body, his fingers passing through her abdomen. Her energy pooled around his fingers like warm sunshine through a window pane. He wondered what he felt like to her. Apparently not pleasant, as she gasped as if in pain and jerked out of his reach.

"Keep your hands off of me," she hissed.

Loki quirked his head at her, fingers still tingling from her energy.

"How did you manage to slip away from Thanos, little bird," he repeated. "Not many have escaped his grasp, certainly no mortal ever has."

Maria blinked. "It was easy. I'm not really _here_, per se. You, somehow, pulled my consciousness with you when you…." Maria looked around at the rocks and stars, "ventured to parts unknown. But my body is still in that cell where you left me. So, all I have to do is….stop being here." Her body started fading again, almost disappearing, then came back.

Loki stared at her. "You escaped Thanos by ceasing to be? Little seer, that would kill you."

"Well I never said it was healthy. When I was a kid, I had heart problems because I was always trying to get out of my visions. I nearly gave myself a heart attack on more than once. Nowadays, I just wait 'em out." She shrugged, as if nearly fatally damaging her body was a simple affair, no more important than gossip or the weather. "Besides, I'd rather die from heart failure than have my eyes gouged out."

Loki supposed that was fair. Another spasm of pain racked through his chest, fierce enough that his vision went red for a moment. The Trickster wondered how long until his illusion failed and The Other would start searching for him in earnest.

"You're not looking too good, _hombre_. Everything all right in there?"

Loki shook his head, more to clear his thoughts than as an answer. He needed to get off this plane and back to Midgard soon before Thanos realized he'd been tricked. An idea formed in his head and he looked at Maria speculatively.

"I'm not liking that look in your eye, Mr. Smith," Maria edged farther away. Loki watched her carefully. If Maria could leave this plane, then it was possible that he could latch onto her energy and follow her out. Unfortunately for him, he did not have a talent for energy manipulation, otherwise he would merely hang onto her essence the next time she disappeared. She would have no choice but to bring him through as well. Since he was not so endowed, he would have to be a little more subtle than that.

"Little seer, I don't suppose you could find it in your heart to help a soul in need?"

Maria snorted, "Are we talking hypothetical situations or are we talking about you getting creamed by Evil Barney back there if you don't get back to Earth?"

"I would not be 'creamed' by Thanos or his minions. I can evade them for a while yet."

"And when you can't? What happens when they catch you?"

Loki didn't answer. He'd been in pain before, but he knew that Thanos could make all of those experiences seem like a balm in comparison to what _he_ would do to him.

"That's what I thought," the little chit was practically smug. He resisted the urge to strangle her until she agreed to help him.

"Isn't compassion supposed to be the root of humanity?"

"Sorry, bub, my compassion for you ran out somewhere between being nearly choked to death and the twentieth time you pimp-slapped me. I have a very thin tolerance for bastards like you."

"Aren't you supposed to 'love thine enemies? Isn't that the basis of your faith?"

"I'm an atheist."

Loki blinked at the blunt denial of faith before moving onto a different tactic. "If I die here, you will slowly rot away in your cell. You can't escape."

She tilted her head at him. "Oh, I don't know about that. I'm pretty good at getting out of sticky situations. Just ask S.H.I.E.L.D.." She rocked back on her heels. "Besides, if I did get you out of here, then what? I twiddle my thumbs until you come back with a knife and a set of thumb screws?"

"What if I made you a deal?"

"What kind of deal?" As much as Loki appreciated her intelligence, this would be so much easier if she was a fool.

"If you can get me away from here, I could set you free."

"Or you _could_ throw me off a cliff."

"I don't renege on my deals, little one."

"No, but I bet you're awfully good at setting people up with really bad ones."

Loki shrugged. "I am the God of Mischief. Such is my nature. However time is of the essence, so this is my bargain. Help me escape this plane and I swear I will set you free."

"When? In an hour? A day? A century?"

"Immediately. As soon as I am free, so shall you be. I'll take you anywhere you like."

"Really? And then what? Will I wake up in that chair a week later?"

"You are a distrusting mortal."

"I'm not going to dignify that with a response. I want to be left alone, understand? Really, I'd rather not see your face again. Like, ever."

"Fine, fine," Loki snapped, waving his hand impatiently. He had not felt any pain in some time, so his double must have disappeared. "If you get me out, I will set you free, immediately and safely take you to a location of your choosing and never shadow your doorstep again. This I swear."

"And how am I supposed to get you out?"

Loki rolled his eyes. "As you start to return to your body, you allow me to latch onto your mind, and I will follow you back to your beloved Midgard."

"What makes you think I'm letting you anywhere near my mind?" She sounded aghast at the prospect and Loki nearly screamed from the frustration. He was running out of time.

"For the love of Yggdrasil, girl, will you stop being contrary? I swear to you, I will not harm you before, during, or after our escape. You have nothing to fear from me."

Maria's eyes narrowed slightly. "Swear it. Swear it on your mother's grave."

Loki reeled back in surprise. Aesir do not die easily; provided they eat Idunn's Apples yearly and avoided death by battle, they could live forever. To seal a deal with the death of an immortal was no small thing. Especially the death of his mother…

He wondered if Maria realized exactly what she was bargaining with. Who was this girl who saw into the hearts of men and monsters alike?

"I swear on my mother's grave to free you from me, immediately, without harm to you, should you free me from here. I swear to deliver you to a place of your choosing. I swear to never trouble you again. So I am sworn. Should I forsake this vow, then I am forsworn. Do we have a bargain, Maria Argyris of Midgard?"

The girl hesitated, thinking it over, before offering her hand. "Deal."

Loki took her hand and raw power surged between them. Maria gasped and tried to pull herself away but she was as stuck as Loki found himself. He could no more release his grip on her than she could get away from his. He gritted his teeth as the deal branded into his soul. Midgardians had long since forgotten the true power of a bargain, but he had been making deals since before her people had discovered the world was round. So he was ready for the burn. Maria however, was not.

"What did you do?" The oracle was frantically trying to escape the pain, her body flickering like a candle in a hurricane, but the power kept her trapped while the deal was sealed.

"Hush, little one. It will be over soon."

"_What_ will be over?" Switching tactics, Maria started clawing at Loki's hand. He barely felt her nails pierce her skin, the wounds healing immediately. However, she was being troublesome. With a sigh, Loki yanked her forward and twisted her around so that her arms were pinned to her chest, and she was pinned to his. Her energy was vibrating violently against him.

"Stop being a nuisance. The pain will be over soon and we can leave this place."

"Let me go," she hissed. "You're hurting me."

"_I _am not hurting you, little bird. Your deal is. This is what happens when you make deals with one such as me. It binds us together; and if either of us should break our word, the consequences would be very dire indeed. Now hush, it's almost finished."

Sure enough, the fire faded from his blood and Maria's body went slack, so he assumed the pain left her as well. Just in time, too. Loki could here the sound of shrieking Chitauri warriors hunting their prey: him.

"Time to go, Maria."

Maria stirred and started vanishing. "So, I just go?"

"Let me in, first." He rested his hand against Maria's forehead and carefully pressed his mind against hers. Her mind remained recalcitrant for a few uneasy moments, than she reluctantly opened her mind, just enough for Loki's to burrow against hers and grab on.

"Go. Go now." He felt Maria's energy slip away like water and for a moment, he wondered if he'd been mistaken, that Maria's mind wouldn't be able to pull along a passenger. Then, with a firm tug, he felt himself starting to float away.

"_You're heavy,"_ Maria panted against his mind, as she struggled to return to her body.

Loki didn't respond, only grinned as he heard the Other howl in rage as he literally disappeared into thin air. He was free. For now.

The two crashed back to reality, Maria dropping Loki to the stone floor as her consciousness rushed back into her sleeping body. With a groan, Loki pushed himself up as Maria started sputtering and coughing.

"Okay, that felt different."

Loki staggered over, relief and disorientation making him slightly unsteady. With a wave of his hand, the ropes fell away from Maria's arms and legs. Maria reached up to rub her face then hissed in pain.

"Ow, motherfucker, I think you broke my cheekbone." Of course, now that Maria was back in the physical world, she would be feeling the full effects of her wounds. Nothing life-threatening, but certainly painful.

Loki tilted his head then put his hand over her face.

"Hey!"

"Hush. I need to concentrate." Her wounds were all small, simple; intended to be as painful as possible without inflicting any real damage. Simple wounds like these he could heal. Maria hissed as his magic flowed over her and her body rapidly stitched itself back together but remained mercifully silent. When his magic finished, Loki hauled her onto her feet. "Where shall I take you?"

"Las Vegas. Nevada," she added at his confused look. Loki mentally reviewed his knowledge of the states and nodded once.

"Anywhere in particular?"

"Well, if you can stick me somewhere with limited cameras, that'd be great."

"I can do that. You'll want to close your eyes."

Gripping her arms tightly, Loki pulled her through space and time, traveling thousands of miles in a matter of moments. When they arrived, in a deserted part of the city, Maria promptly collapsed to her knees, gasping for air.

"Good bye, Maria of Midgard. Perhaps our paths will cross again."

He left before he could here her sarcastic retort.


End file.
